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Lake Michigan Travel Information...

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Experience the Lake Michigan Circle Tour...

• Lake Michigan Circle Tour Home
• Suttons Bay
• Traverse City
• Mackinaw City
• Lighthouses
• Lake Michigan Charter Fishing
• Lakeshore Lodging Guide
• Lakeshore Menu Guide
• Lakeshore Antiques Guide
• Lakeshore Arts Guide

Travel the Lake Michigan Circle Tour

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour is roughly 1,100 miles long and would take 14.5 hours with no stops.

Northern Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Northwest Michigan

Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Northeastern wisconsin.

Southern Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Southeastern wisconsin, northern illinois, northern indiana, southwest michigan, central west michigan, thank you for visiting our website www.lakemichigancircletour.com please "like" us at facebook.com/lakemichigandestinations.

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Wandering Michigan Wisconsin

Road Trip Around Lake Michigan: The Ultimate Itinerary

Lake Michigan, also known as the ‘Caribbean of the North’ is a perfect destination for a road trip. Blue-green waters, hundreds of lighthouses, spectacular beaches, scenic towns rich in history, and delicious food await you on this epic adventure.

During this “circle tour” of the lake, you’ll drive over one thousand miles through two time zones and four states. You can do the full loop in as little as four days , do it in a more leisurely seven to ten days , or go all out exploring for a month or more.

Are you ready for your road trip around Lake Michigan? Let’s dive into the ultimate itinerary!

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Road Trip Around Lake Michigan Itinerary

In this itinerary, your road trip adventure begins in Chicago, where you’ll enjoy deep-dish pizza and catch amazing views of Lake Michigan from the top of Willis Tower.

Next, you’ll head north, visiting the scenic and historically fascinating towns of Wisconsin (and sampling cheese!).

Then, you’ll drive through upper peninsula Michigan, visiting a turquoise spring and eating famed Michigan pasties.

After that, you’ll cross the awe-inspiring Mackinac Bridge into the lower Michigan peninsula. Lighthouses, pristine beaches, cherry pies, and tulip festivals make for an amazing time!

To finish out the trip, you’ll circle through Indiana, visiting the sweeping beauty of Sand Dunes National Park.

Road Trip Around Lake Michigan Itinerary: Illinois

You can start your road trip around Lake Michigan at any point along the route, but if you’re flying in, I recommend starting in Chicago. It’s a major hub, flights are cheap, and there are plenty of car rental options.

Chicago offers a host of awesome activities to get your road trip off to a winning start.

1. Willis Tower

Welcome to Chicago! Home to amazing pizza, bustling Michigan Avenue, and the famous Bean.

To start, head over to Willis Tower. This famous skyscraper is a main feature of the Chicago skyline, soaring 1,450 feet into the atmosphere. And what better way to appreciate the views of Chicago and Lake Michigan than from the glass ledge of the Skydeck?

Note : You must book tickets to the Skydeck in advance. It costs $30-40 for people ages 12 and up, and $22-36 for people ages 3 to 11.

Next, check out Michigan Avenue, the Bean, and have lunch or supper at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. Yum.

2. Illinois Holocaust Museum

Another must-see stop in Chicago is the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie. This museum has many powerful displays about the holocaust, including an interactive hologram exhibit which allows you to ask questions to a holocaust victim and hear their answer. It is a moving and deeply meaningful experience.

The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

There is free parking.

Three hours is a good average for this stop.

Admissions costs $18 for adults (ages 12 and up) and $6 for children (ages 5 to 11).

The Museum offers free admission to all on the last Friday of every month.

3. Chicago Botanical Garden

If you enjoy botanical gardens, you’ll love the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe! Explore 385 acres of footbridges, waterways, and lush plant life.

Depending on the time of year, you may get to enjoy the butterfly garden, sensory garden, model railroad, tram, vegetable garden, and library. There are also dining options and a shop.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is about 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. Grab a map of the gardens when you get there, or opt for a guided tour.

The Gardens are open from 10 am to 6 pm daily.

Prices vary by date, but range from $14 to $18 on average. Parking costs approximately $8.

Route Tip : As you leave the garden, stay on Highway 41 north. Then, if you’d like to stick near the lakeshore, take Highway 137 through Waukegan. In Kenosha, deke back over to I-95 for a stop at Mars Cheese Castle. Or, take I-95 the entire way for the most direct route to Milwaukee.

Great Places to Stay in Chicago

Sentral Michigan Avenue  is a lovely apartment in Chicago near Grant Park and the Buckingham Memorial Fountain. Choose between the studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and deluxe apartments.

It comes fully furnished with an equipped kitchen, living area, washing machine, wifi, garden with a grill, lake views, and access to a gym and pool.

Check Rates and Book a Stay at   Sentral Michigan Avenue

Road Trip Around Lake Michigan: Wisconsin

Now that you’ve enjoyed Chicago and its surroundings, it’s time to head north to Wisconsin, home of cheese, frozen custard, a maritime museum, and the Green Bay Packers.

4. Milwaukee

Before reading Milwaukee, I recommend stopping at  Mars Cheese Castle . This castle is loaded with (you guessed it!) cheese, fried cheese, cheese spreads, meats, popcorn, and a deli with sandwiches. It is open from 9 am-7 pm every day. (It’s also the perfect bathroom stop).

Continue into Milwaukee for a stop at famed  Kopp’s Frozen Custard . They have several flavors of the day in addition to chocolate and vanilla. This shop dates back to 1950, when it began as a simple roadside stand. There are three different locations in Milwaukee, open 10:30 am to 10:00 pm.

Another great stop in Milwaukee is  Grant Park , one of the oldest parks in the county. It dates back to 1911 and was home to German horticulturalist Frederick C. Wulff.

Be sure to walk the Seven Bridges Trail while you’re there. It is a two-mile nature trail that crisscrosses ravines.

If you’re planning your trip for late June or early July, don’t miss the  Milwaukee Summerfest , the largest music festival in the world.

And if you need to fuel up on food, check out the  Milwaukee Public Market . It is similar to Seattle’s famous Pike’s Place Market, with vendors, restaurants, classes, and more. It is open 10 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays.

Getting thirsty? Wet your whistle at any one of Milwaukee’s top craft breweries, such as  Rock Bottom Brewery  or  Sprecher Brewery .

Route Tip:  Take I-43 north from Milwaukee for easy access to Harrington Beach Park and Sheboygan.

Great Places to Stay in Milwaukee

Kinn Guesthouse Bay View  in Milwaukee is a great hotel with a cool concept. Guests loved the amazing aesthetics, big windows, and awesome location. It is within walking distance of many restaurants, shops, and a theater.

Check Rates and Book a Stay at  Kinn Guesthouse Bay View .

5. Harrington Beach

Continue north, with an optional stop at  Harrington Beach . This state park has a mile-long stretch of sand along the Lake Michigan shore and a lovely limestone quarry lake. It’s a perfect spot to picnic or camp. Admission is $11 per car.

If you’re looking for something more upscale, keep going north to Sheboygan.

6. Sheboygan

Sheboygan is home to the World Bratwurst Eating Contest, the tallest flagpole in the United States (338-feet high), and the Dairyland Surf Classic (the largest lake-surfing competition in the world).

If you want to stay in a resort, I recommend visiting  Destination Kohler , a ritzy complex with its own spa and golf course.

Looking for a more local experience? Head to the popular  Majerle’s Black River Grill . Reserve ahead, as this place gets hopping. Go through the bar to the restaurant in the back. They are usually open Wednesday through Sunday from 4 pm to 9 pm. Try a brat, or the tasty perch.

7. Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Continue your journey to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Originally a ship-building community, Manitowoc is home to the  Wisconsin Maritime Museum .

 This Smithsonian museum has amazing guided tours, an incredible WWII submarine (the USS Cobia), interactive exhibits, and stories from people who served on submarines.

The museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm. If you can, take one of their Nook & Cranny tours. It’ll be well worth it! Check  admission and special tour ticket prices .

Route Tip:  If you choose to visit Door County, get off Interstate 43 in Manitowoc. Take Highway 42 north through Two Rivers and onto Sturgeon Bay.

8. Door County

Door County is a gorgeous peninsula with beaches, parks, theaters, farms, wineries, and art galleries.

You don’t  have  to go to Door County on your road trip around Lake Michigan, in fact, it’s easy to bypass. Many itineraries skip it altogether. However, if you have the time for it, you should definitely visit. It’s a lovely area with plenty of activities to enjoy.

Some of the places you should consider visiting on your foray into Door County include:

✔️ Cave Point County Park, Sturgeon Bay  – Famous for its underwater caverns, picturesque coves, and plethora of activities. Visitors to this park can enjoy many water sports (kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, canoeing), hiking, boating, and rock climbing.

✔️ Northern Sky Theatre, Fish Creek  – This professional theater company operates during the summer season, offering spectacular live shows in an outdoor setting in the woods.

✔️ Door County Trolley, Egg Harbor  – This popular tour agency gives tours in their iconic red trolleys. You can choose between any number of tours, such as their scenic lighthouse tours, wine tours, pub crawls, and ghost tours (visiting haunted houses). 

9. Green Bay

Green Bay, home to the Green Bay Packers, is your next stop. This city is also known as Titletown.

If you’re coming in from Door County, stop for a picnic and stretch break at  Wequiock Falls . This small county park features a ravine with a Niagara escarpment rock formation and a waterfall. The falls is at its fullest in the spring, but is also very beautiful surrounded by autumn-colored trees or frozen into a frosty wonder in winter.

Depending on your interests, you can tour  Lambeau Stadium and the   Green Bay Hall of Fame.  Alternatively,   visit the  Art Garage , an NGO focused on creativity and community. Enjoy the live music, take a dab at painting, and enjoy the surroundings in this converted cannery.

If you’re in Green Bay on a Thursday, don’t miss the  Titletown Night Market , complete with food trucks, live music, and happy hour specials.

Route Tip:  From Green Bay, take Highway 41 towards Marinette, Wisconsin and Menominee, Michigan.

Great Places to Stay in Green Bay

Astor House  in Green Bay is a unique hotel only 8 kilometers from the Railroad Museum. There is a hot tub available for guests, and each unit comes with a seating area, TV, wifi, air conditioning, and cozy bed. Some also have dining areas and balconies.

Check Rates and Book a Stay at  Astor House .

Road Trip Around Lake Michigan: Upper Peninsula Michigan

It’s time to leave Wisconsin behind and head into Upper Peninsula Michigan. Cities are few and far between, but there are still plenty of things to see, from historic downtowns to lighthouses to turquoise springs.

10. Menominee

Just across the border from Marinette, Wisconsin, you’ll enter Menominee. The city was named for an Indian tribe and means “Wild Rice.”

Check out the historic downtown and stop for fluffy doughnuts at  Stephenson Bakery Inc .

Route Tip:  From Menominee, take Highway 35 through Escanaba.

11. Escanaba

One of the best sights in Escanaba is  Sand Point Light House . This fully restored and furnished lighthouse was built in 1867.

Nine keepers and their families lived in the lighthouse and kept the light burning to warn ships away from treacherous Sand Point. One of the first female lighthouse keepers kept vigil here. How cool is that?

Check for the most updated hours, but the lighthouse should be open for visitors from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Route Tip:  Take Highway 2 through the rest of the Upper Peninsula, with a side trip on Country Road 442 if you’re visiting Kitch-iti-kipi.

12. Kitch-iti-kipi

Another must-see spot on your road trip around Lake Michigan is the state’s largest natural spring:  Kitch-iti-kipi . Although it means going slightly off route, I think it is worth a bit of deviation!

This spring in Palms Brook State Park is 40 feet deep, 200 feet wide, emerald green, and so clear that you can see down to the limestone bottom. Gorgeous!

One of the nicest ways to enjoy the spring is by taking a clear-bottom raft across the pond. Keep an eye out for sunken logs and lake trout!

This park is open from 8 am to 10 pm year-round. Day passes cost $9. Expect to spend one or two hours enjoying the spring before continuing your journey.

13. St. Ignace

Drive on to St. Ignace, one of the oldest cities in Michigan. Visit  Wawatam Lighthouse , then pick up some of Michigan’s famous pasties at  Lehto’s Pasties  (pronounced pass-tees) to keep your body fueled.

If you like, get them to go and eat them at  Bridge View Park . Here you’ll get a bit of history and splendid views of the “Big Mac.”

Crossing the  Mackinac Bridge  is a rite of passage during your road trip around Lake Michigan, so getting some pictures ahead of time will add to the fun.

The bridge is 5 miles across (1.5 miles suspended), making it the third-longest total suspension bridge in the world. It took four years to build.

Be ready for high winds as you cross which will add a dose of adrenaline to your trip.

✔️ Interested in seeing Mackinac Island? Check out this guide to Visiting Mackinac Island In October .

Great Places to Stay in St. Ignace

Bavarian Haus Lakefront Inn  in St. Ignace is a beautiful hotel on the shores of Lake Huron (yup, just around the corner from Lake Michigan). The rooms are bright and spacious, with wifi, a TV, and a fridge.

You can also enjoy the hotel’s fitness center, indoor pool, whirlpool tubs, and sauna. They offer a free shuttle service to the Mackinac Island Ferry.

Check Rates and Book a Stay at  Bavarian Haus Lakefront Inn .

Road Trip Around Lake Michigan: Lower Peninsula Michigan & Indiana

You’ve come a long way on your road trip, and now it’s time to explore Lower Peninsula Michigan and Indiana, with their beaches, festivals, sand dunes, and more.

14. Mackinaw City

Although Mackinaw City is really only a village of approximately 800 or so people, it’s one of Michigan’s most popular tourist destinations. There are more lighthouses to see here, including  Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse . Enjoy the informative visit and amazing views of the strait.

Mackinaw City is also a great place to delve into history, with a visit to  Fort Michilimackinac . Costumed interpreters demonstrate various trades. There are exhibits in each of the sixteen buildings, including a movie. From June to mid-August, you can witness archaeologists continuing excavations that began in 1959.

The Hours at Fort Michilimackinac vary by season, so check before you go. Admission costs $14.50 for adults (ages 13 and up) and $8.75 for kids (ages 5-12).

Route Tip:  If you have the time for a meandering journey from Mackinaw City to Traverse, consider cutting over to Cross Village on W Levering Road, then taking Highway 119 towards Harbor Springs. This lovely scenic highway will give you great views of the shore, farms, and a wooded section known as the Tunnel of Trees. Then, take Highway 31 into Traverse City.

15. Traverse City

Now it’s time to enjoy Traverse City, Cherry Capital of the World!

No visit to Traverse City would be complete without eating a cherry pie. Head to  Grand Traverse Pie Company  for a slice of Old Mission Cherry, Cherry Peach, Cherry Rhubarb, or Lighthouse Cherry Apple Crumb pie.

And if you aren’t a fan of cherries, don’t worry, they have other pie flavors, as well as savory quiches, pot pies, salads, and more.

Consider visiting the  Acoustic Tap Room , home of the original Northern Michigan Mead. They offer a hard cider and mead sampling flight (like wine tasting for mead) which could be fun.

Another amazing thing to do in Traverse City is have a blast at the  Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Water Park . Rafts, rivers, slides, and hot tubs, what more can I say?

If you’re a foodie, try to get a reservation at the exclusive  The Cook’s House,  by Chefs Patterson and Blakeslee. This fine-dining experience features an incredible menu that changes daily and only 26 seats.

Route Tip:  If you don’t mind a scenic route (and side trip), take Highway 22 out of Traverse and go to the wine country of Leelanau. You can go all the way to Grand Traverse Lighthouse, then continue on the peninsula’s westward side until you reach Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. If you’d rather a more direct journey, leave Traverse City and cut across the peninsula on Highway 72 until you reach Empire, then head north on Highway 22 to Sleeping Bear.

Great Places to Stay in Traverse City

Cherry Tree Inn & Suites   in Traverse City is a laid-back resort-style hotel with amazing views of East Bay and the Old Mission Hills. The rooms come with a TV, DVD player, video games, microwave, fridge, wifi, and air conditioning. Kids will love the nautical-themed playground.

Check Rates and Book a Stay at  Cherry Tree Inn & Suites .

16. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

After enjoying all Traverse City has to offer, it’s time to shake things up and head to one of the best beaches in America:  Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . The drive alone is stunning. Add in sweeping dunes, towering bluffs, historic farms, and incredible views of the lake, and you have a recipe for a fabulous time.

You can hike, camp, stargaze, fish, hunt, and backpack at Sleeping Bear.

The entrance costs $25 per car for one to seven days.

17. Ludington State Park

If you haven’t had enough of beaches (and I hope you haven’t), consider making  Ludington State Park  the next stop on your Lake Michigan road trip itinerary.

It’s a perfect spot for nature lovers. It has incredible beaches, hardwood forests, sand dunes, and marshlands. It’s also a very popular camping destination.

Rent a kayak, paddleboard, or canoe your way around Hamlin Lake, or swim along the seven miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.

Another great activity at Ludington is the hike to  Big Sable Point Lighthouse . If you’re there between May and the end of October, take one of the tours that runs between 10 am and 5pm.

In the evening, enjoy a folk music performance in the outdoor amphitheater.

If you’re there in winter, try snowshoeing!

18. Holland Michigan

Holland Michigan, famed for its tulip festival in May combines small-town charm with over 100 specialty shops. Eat, shop, and meander your way through the cobblestone sidewalks of  downtown , then head to  Windmill Island Gardens .

This scenic, but operational, Dutch windmill still grinds wheat into flour to this day. Check out the Netherlands-style buildings, gift shop, and gardens.

In summer and early fall, enjoy an amazing flower display. Or, if you’re on your road trip around Lake Michigan in the spring, you’re in for a treat, as the beds are planted with approximately 150,000 tulips!

The Gardens are open 9:30 am to 6 pm. Admission costs $12 for adults and $6 for kids ages 3-15.

Route Tip:  From Holland, follow I-196 south to South Haven, Benton Harbor, and New Buffalo. (The New Buffalo Beach and Lighthouse make for a nice stop).

Great Places to Stay in Holland, Michigan

Staybridge Suites  is a nice hotel in Holland, Michigan. It is only a couple miles from the town center with easy access to the main street, shops, restaurants, and attractions. Guests loved the location, comfy rooms, friendly staff, ample breakfast, and amenities.

Check Rates and Book a Stay at  Staybridge Suites.

19. Indiana Sand Dunes National Park

It’s time to finish your road trip around Lake Michigan with one last state: Indiana! And what better way to enjoy it than by visiting  Indiana Sand Dunes National Park ?

Soak in the scenic vistas from the dunes or hike one of the nature trails.  Heron Rookery Trail  is especially nice in the spring when the wildflowers bloom. However, if you’re there in the fall, consider the  Glenwood Dunes Trail  for the best views of autumn colors.

The park charges an admission fee of $25 per family vehicle.

How Long Does It Take To Drive Around Lake Michigan?

If you were to drive around Lake Michigan without stopping, it would take approximately 17 hours.

Although you can catch beautiful views from the road, stopping is a big part of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour’s attraction!

You can spend anywhere from several days to several months traveling around the lake, shopping, exploring museums, camping, trying local fare, and enjoying the outdoors.

What Road Goes Around Lake Michigan?

There is no single road that goes around Lake Michigan. Instead, there are a variety of different interstates and highways.

Choose the best route for you based on what stops you’re making and how much time you have to take scenic byways.

I go into more detail about which roads I recommend in my “route tips” in the itinerary above.

Conclusion: Road Trip Around Lake Michigan

There are thousands of possibilities when it comes to what to do, where to go, where to stay, and what to eat on your circle tour of Lake Michigan!

Use this itinerary as a guide, follow it to a tee, or mix and match as you see fit. The important thing is to tailor the journey to your interests and hobbies, whether that’s hiking, wine tasting, history, water sports, or something else entirely.

As you can see, taking a road trip around Lake Michigan is an epic adventure! Trust me, it’s going to be awesome!

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We are experiencing periods of high call volumes with longer than usual wait times. Please allow up to 24 hours for a callback during regular business hours. Save time and book online under the Tour Dates & Pricing section of your desired tour!

• Tour Overview
• Tour Highlights

Tour Dates & Pricing

Day itinerary, departure cities.

Choose Your Departure Year:

Experience the beauty of Lake Michigan and scenic locales in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois including two nights on Mackinac Island. Begin with a tour of Lambeau Field and the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Next we arrive in Door County, the Cape Cod of the Midwest, for a classic Wisconsin fish boil, a tour of the famous Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park, and more. Travel through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Mackinac Island for old-world charm and lakeside leisure with two nights on the island and a tour of the island by horse-drawn carriage. After completing the full circle around Lake Michigan arrive back in Chicago for a tour of the Windy City before we return home.

The Holiday Advantage

You can earn a $100 Travel Show Credit good for your next trip with Holiday Vacations by simply clicking the photo to watch the online travel show! The show is about 10 minutes long and at the end, you'll have the ability to submit your contact information and receive a travel credit which can be applied to this or any Holiday Vacations tour. Get started now!

Additional Tour Information

Your holiday vacations experience includes:, all accommodations featuring.

• 1 night at the Sonesta Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel
• 2 nights at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay
• 2 nights on Mackinac Island
• 1 night at the Embassy Suites Grand Rapids Downtown
• 1 night at Sonesta Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel

Attractions & Highlights

• Lambeau Field guided tour
• National Railroad Museum
• Door County
• Peninsula State Park feat. Eagle Bluff Lighthouse tour
• Door Peninsula Winery
• Door County Maritime Museum
• Mackinac Bridge
• Scenic ferry ride to Mackinac Island
• Mackinac Island horse-drawn carriage tour
• Scenic Lake Michigan shoreline
• Charlevoix Mushroom House Tour
• Music House Museum
• Chicago guided city tour feat. Navy Pier

10 Excellent Meals Featuring

• Traditional Door County fish boil
• Grand Luncheon Buffet at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
• Holiday Vacations Farewell Dinner in Chicago

Price Per Person

$3299 $3099 (offer valid until 04/25/2024)

$3999 $3799 (offer valid until 04/25/2024)

Final Payment Date: 04/24/2024

August 25, 2024 - September 1, 2024

Final Payment Date: 06/26/2024

September 8, 2024 - September 15, 2024

Final Payment Date: 07/10/2024

September 15, 2024 - September 22, 2024

Final Payment Date: 07/17/2024

September 22, 2024 - September 29, 2024

Final Payment Date: 07/24/2024

Day 1 : Fly to Chicago

Our tour begins with a flight to Chicago, Illinois. We have overnight accommodations near the O’Hare airport.

Day 2 : Lambeau Field & Fish Boil

We travel through scenic countryside to Green Bay and tour storied Lambeau Field, home to Wisconsin's pro football team! Experience the rich history of railroads in America at the National Railroad Museum through a series of fascinating displays and actual railroad cars including the Big Boy and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s command car. We continue to picturesque Door County and check in for our stay in Sturgeon Bay. For this evening’s Welcome Dinner we are guests at a fish boil, a scrumptious tradition from Door County’s Scandinavian settlers. The catch of the day is fresh Whitefish from Lake Michigan. We are invited to watch as it is prepared with potatoes and onions over an open fire! Enjoy delicious Door County cherry pie for dessert, a regional treat.

Day 3 : Door County

Enjoy a full day discovering Wisconsin’s Door County, the Cape Cod of the Midwest. Door County has more miles of shoreline, lighthouses, and state parks than any other county in the United States. Wave-battered cliffs, sun-kissed beaches, wooded retreats, quaint farms, and lush orchards await us. We travel into Peninsula State Park to tour the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and view the beautiful woodland and scenic shoreline within the park. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the charming waterfront community of Fish Creek, and afterward, visit Door Peninsula Winery for a true taste of regional flavors. Located along Sturgeon Bay’s busy waterfront, the Door County Maritime Museum highlights the area’s intriguing maritime roots. We explore the unique exhibits and learn about the rich shipping and fishing industries of the area.

Day 4 : Mackinac Island

This morning we depart Sturgeon Bay and travel through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Our route passes through evergreen forests, hardwood forests, and along portions of Lake Michigan’s scenic shoreline. Soon we approach the Straits of Mackinac, the waterway connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Here, we drive across the Mackinac Bridge, one of the largest suspension bridges in the world. The bridge opened in 1957 and connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. At the southern end of the bridge is Mackinaw City, where we board a high-speed ferry for our crossing to Mackinac Island. This charming island is three miles long by two miles wide and transportation on the island is limited to carriage, bike, horse, or foot! Our accommodations for the next two nights are on Mackinac Island.

Day 5 : Tour by Carriage

We depart our hotel this morning in horse-drawn carriages for a tour of Mackinac Island. The island’s Victorian architecture recalls a time of days gone by. Our carriage tour ends at the elegant Grand Hotel for a sumptuous lunch! This succulent feast includes garden fresh salads, savory cheeses, slow roasted meats, seafood, and fresh baked pastries. After lunch there is time to unwind and enjoy the marvelous views of the Straits of Mackinac from the rocking chairs on our hotel's 660-foot porch. You may also browse several interesting areas of the hotel that are open to the public. The afternoon is free to relax, sightsee on your own, or visit historic sites. You may choose to visit Fort Mackinac where costumed guides, memorabilia, and original buildings recall military life during the War of 1812. Tonight, we enjoy our second evening on the island.

Day 6 : Charlevoix

After a delicious included breakfast, we board a ferry and return to the mainland. We travel south along the scenic Lake Michigan shoreline to the charming waterfront town of Charlevoix. Enjoy a guided tour of architect Earl Young’s “mushroom houses,” famously custom built to fit natural landscapes resulting in a fairytale appearance. Next, step back in time at the Music House Museum to explore a unique collection of rare antique musical instruments including nickelodeons, music boxes, and pipe organs. We arrive in Grand Rapids for a restful evening.

Day 7 : Chicago

Following breakfast we head south towards the Windy City. A relaxing drive brings us to Navy Pier in the heart of Chicago’s lakefront. There is time for lunch on the pier before a local guide joins us to view many of Chicago’s famous landmarks. After settling into our hotel, we enjoy a Holiday Vacations Farewell Dinner.

Day 8 : Fly Home

Fly home from Chicago, long remembering our adventures in the Upper Midwest.

Airport Pickups

Choose a State:

Birmingham - Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Bentonville - Northwest Arkansas National Airport

Little Rock - Little Rock National Airport

Phoenix - Sky Harbor International Airport

Los Angeles - Los Angeles International Airport

Orange County - John Wayne Airport

San Diego - San Diego International Airport

San Francisco - San Francisco International Airport

Denver - Denver International Airport

Hartford - Bradley International Airport

Washington - Ronald Reagan National Airport

Washington - Washington Dulles International Airport

Fort Lauderdale - Fort Lauderdale International Airport

Fort Myers - Southwest Florida International Airport

Jacksonville - Jacksonville International Airport

Miami - Miami International Airport

Orlando - Orlando International Airport

Tallahassee - Tallahassee International Airport

Tampa - Tampa International Airport

West Palm Beach - Palm Beach International Airport

Atlanta - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Cedar Rapids - Eastern Iowa Airport

Des Moines - Des Moines International Airport

Boise - Boise Airport

Chicago - O'Hare International Airport

Moline - Quad City International Airport

Evansville - Evansville Regional Airport

Fort Wayne - Fort Wayne International Airport

Indianapolis - Indianapolis International Airport

South Bend - South Bend International Airport

Wichita - Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport

Lexington - Blue Grass Airport

Louisville - Louisville International Airport

Baton Rouge - Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport

Lafayette - Lafayette Regional Airport

New Orleans - Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Shreveport - Shreveport Regional Airport

Boston - Boston Logan International Airport

Baltimore - Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Detroit - Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Grand Rapids - Gerald R. Ford International Airport

Saginaw - MBS International Airport

Duluth - Duluth International Airport

Minneapolis - Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport

Kansas City - Kansas City International Airport

Springfield - Springfield-Branson National Airport

St Louis - St. Louis Lambert International Airport

Gulfport - Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport

Jackson - Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport

Billings - Billings-Logan International Airport

Bozeman - Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport

Missoula - Missoula Montana Airport

Charlotte - Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Greensboro - Piedmont Triad International Airport

Raleigh - Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Bismarck - Bismarck Airport

Fargo - Hector International Airport

Grand Forks - Grand Forks International Airport

Omaha - Eppley Airfield

Newark - Newark Liberty International Airport

Albuquerque - Albuquerque International Airport

Las Vegas - McCarran International Airport

Albany - Albany International Airport

Buffalo - Buffalo Niagara International Airport

New York - Kennedy International Airport

New York - La Guardia Airport

Rochester - Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport

Syracuse - Syracuse Hancock International Airport

Cincinnati - Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

Cleveland - Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

Columbus - John Glenn Columbus International Airport

Dayton - Dayton International Airport

Oklahoma City - Will Rogers World Airport

Tulsa - Tulsa International Airport

Portland - Portland International Airport

Allentown - Lehigh Valley International Airport

Harrisburg - Harrisburg International Airport

Philadelphia - Philadelphia International Airport

Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh International Airport

Charleston - Charleston International Airport

Greer - Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

Rapid City - Rapid City Regional Airport

Sioux Falls - Sioux Falls Regional Airport

Knoxville - McGhee Tyson Airport

Memphis - Memphis International Airport

Nashville - Nashville International Airport

Austin - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Dallas - Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Houston - George Bush Intercontinental Airport

San Antonio - San Antonio International Airport

Salt Lake City - Salt Lake City International Airport

Norfolk - Norfolk International Airport

Richmond - Richmond International Airport

Seattle - Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Spokane - Spokane International Airport

Appleton - Appleton International Airport

Baldwin - Groome Transportation

Eau Claire - Groome Transportation

Green Bay - Austin Straubel International Airport

Hudson - Groome Transportation

Madison - Dane County Regional Airport

Menomonie - Groome Transportation

Milwaukee - Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

Charleston - Yeager Airport

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

• Ports of Call:

Stories from Western & Midwestern USA

Activity levels.

Tour days tend to be shorter in length, at a relaxed pace, and include lots of unscheduled time for leisure. Expect standing and walking for extended periods of time on flat surfaces, mostly low altitudes, and consistent temperatures.

Tour days usually move at a leisurely pace. Some days’ scheduled activities last longer than others. Expect standing and walking for long periods of time on occasionally uneven terrain. You may experience changes in altitude or temperature.

Tour days tend to be long, move at a consistent pace, and may include long travel days. Expect standing and walking for long periods of time on uneven surfaces. Some destinations may have changes in altitude and/or temperature.

Tour days tend to be long, move at a brisk pace, and may include lengthy travel days. Expect long periods of walking and standing on uneven surfaces. Scheduled activities may require physical effort or have distinct changes in altitude or temperature.

Very Active

Tour days tend to be long, move at a vigorous pace, and may include lengthy travel days. Expect long periods of walking and standing on rough surfaces. Scheduled activities may require physical effort or have distinct changes in altitude or temperature.

Must-visit stops along the Lake Michigan Circle Tour

By: The Outbound Collective + Save to a List

Any season can be road trip season! Are you feeling lost or craving something fun to do with friends, but don’t quite know where or how to start planning? We’ve got you. The Lake Michigan Circle Tour is a ~1,100-mile loop that passes through Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana following the shorelines of Lake Michigan. 

Lake Michigan is the fifth largest lake in the world! Among the five Great Lakes, it’s the second largest in volume and the third largest in surface area. Don’t underestimate the beauty and magnetism of this Midwestern body of water. Along the drive, you'll experience beaches, forests, dunes, local breweries, delicious food joints, National Parks and National Lakeshores.

Since the route is a loop, you can start anywhere you want (Chicago is popular)! Below are some places you should check out in each state you’ll pass through! Download the Outbound Collective app to find even more popular and hidden adventures along your route. 

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria – Chicago, IL

Satisfy your hunger by indulging in deep dish pizza for a true Chicago experience. Lou Malnoti's is run by the oldest family name in Chicago pizza history! The 9-inch-deep 'zas are made fresh and are the perfect easy meal to share among friends while getting a taste of Chicago.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery – Chicago, IL

Coffee lovers will enjoy the opportunity to visit the largest Starbucks in the world! Built in 2019, this Starbucks Reserve is four-stories-high – definitely not your average coffee shop! Right in the heart of Michigan Avenue, you can order any of your favorite classic Starbucks drinks, and can also choose from a selection of gourmet coffee, food, and alcoholic beverages. Grab a latte before hitting the road or stay for a while to fully experience the roastery.

Ice Skate at Maggie Daley Park – Chicago, IL

As winter is approaching, what better way to get into a festive spirit than to go ice skating? Chicago is home to the longest ice skating ribbon in the U.S. at a total distance of a quarter-mile. This year, the skating ribbon opens November 18, 2022. If you take this road trip during the warmer months, the ribbon is used for rollerblading instead! Admission is free, and rental skates are available. Not only will you have fun doing something active outdoors in a major city, but you’ll also bask in incredible views of the city skyline and lights.

Mars Cheese Castle  – Kenosha, WI

When you think of Wisconsin, what comes to mind? …. CHEESE! Wisconsin is the #1 cheese-producing state in the country and it wouldn’t be right to pass through the state without having a cheese-related experience! Stop by this unique castle stocked with all the cheese you can imagine, plus baked goods, meats, and popcorn! It’s about an hour drive north of Chicago.

Milwaukee Public Market – Milwaukee, WI

Not sure what to eat for lunch? People in the car arguing over what they’re in the mood for? The Milwaukee Public Market is sure to have something that will satisfy everyone! Get inspired by a plethora of food vendors from seafood to Thai to Middle Eastern and plant-based options! Then, take your food up to the Palm Garden seating area on the second floor. If you have the time or are stopping for the night, try out one of the hands-on or demonstration classes  and learn how to make coffee toffee and hot cinnamon peanut brittle, curate your own bottle of gin, etc. Reserve your spot ahead of time - class tickets sell out!

Point Beach State Forest – near Two Rivers, WI

This state forest boasts roughly 3000-acres of land and 6 miles of beach along the Lake Michigan coast. It’s a great spot to stop to go swimming in the hot summer months. Hike along the Ice Age Trail , visit the Rawley Point Lighthouse , or stay overnight at one of the family campsites.

Grand Traverse Pie Company – Traverse City, MI

Transport yourself to grandma’s kitchen with a trip to this pie-lovers destination! Inhale the fresh baked smells wafting your way and delight in the joy of sharing a pie with your traveling companions. The Grand Traverse Pie Company is committed to using Michigan products and suppliers whenever possible, which you can taste with each rich and flaky bite. Choose from a wide selection of options like the blueberry lemon silk pie, vernors cherry pie, and lakeshore berry crumb. They also make sandwiches, salads, quiches, and pot pies!

Great Wolf Lodge – Traverse City, MI

You can enjoy summer fun activities even in the cold weather right here at the Great Wolf Lodge’s 37,000-foot indoor water park! Stay overnight or purchase a full or half-day pass to dip your toes in the warm waters and scream your way down waterslides. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes – Glen Arbor, MI

Located in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, this National Lakeshore features truly stunning sandy dunes and forests. Hike the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore  or  Drive the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive  to get a taste of this beautiful area. Michigan Ice Fest – Munising, MI

Anyone who interested in ice climbing, whether you’re someone who has no experience, some experience, or an expert, should definitely check out this renowned ice climbing event! It’ll be held from February 8-12, 2023. The south shore of Lake Superior has some of the country’s best ice climbing. Learn more advanced skills and receive instructions during courses, clinics, and socials to connect with people in the climbing community! Some of the world’s best alpinists and ice climbers will be there. How often will you have the opportunity to grab a drink after a day of activity with a professional athlete?!Even if you aren’t a climber, the event is fun to spectate or attend for climbing photography experience. Online registration is $65 and $85 at the door.

Veldheer Tulip Gardens – Holland, MI

Did you know you can have a very European experience right in the state of Michigan? Holland is an extremely charming town featuring European-style architecture, tulip fields, and windmills that could easily be mistaken for a village in the Netherlands. The tulips are at their most vibrant in May while lilies flourish through the spring and summer. The town is still a unique and cute stopping point even in the winter months.

Mackinac Island

You’ll need to take a ferry from Mackinaw City, MI to arrive at the beautiful and serene Mackinac Island. There are no cars or chain hotels here, just charming and family-owned accommodations. Biking (rent a rig on the island) and walking are the best ways to get around. Mackinac Island State Park , which features trails and woods, covers most of the island. Hike to Arch Rock to check out a distinct geologic natural limestone arch formation.

Other Michigan Adventures:

Winter Hike Empire Bluff Trails – Honor, MI

This popular and relatively short hike will reward you with an overlook of Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, South Bar Lake, and Lake Michigan.

Winter Hike Pyramid Point Trail – Maple City, MI

This adventure offers panoramic views of Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, North and South Manitou Islands, Lake Michigan, and Leland, MI. If you plan to hike in the winter, it’s recommended that you bring crampons or microspikes since conditions can be icy.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Explore 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan featuring a unique ecosystem with native birds and plants. Kick back and relax on one of the 8 beaches or hike through dunes, forests, and wetlands. Kayaking and canoeing are also great ways to explore the lake. Camp overnight to extend your time enjoying all this place has to offer like: Hike the Cowles Bog Trail , Photograph the Chicago Skyline , Hike the Dune Succession Trail .

Shoreline Brewery – Michigan City, IN

After a long day of driving and adventuring, stopping for a cold one and some contemporary American food can really hit the spot!

Road trips are the perfect time to take it easy, be present, and enjoy the ride. There are plenty of places, like the ones on this list, that are worth stopping to check out along the way. But, don’t forget that the best parts of road trips are often the spontaneous stops and unexpected treasures that you just so happen to stumble upon. Keep your eyes open!

Need more suggestions for your route? Download the Outbound app  and input your starting point and ending point. It'll suggest a route and include some awesome adventures along the way like hiking, biking, and paddling!

Cover photo: Aaron Burden

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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10 Things you need to do in Baja

wyld honeys

Ready for an unforgettable adventure in Baja, Mexico? We've rounded up the top 10 things you need to do while you're there. From visiting the famed boojum trees in Cataviña to exploring secluded waterfalls, there's something for everyone. by: wyld honeys

Journey to Wyoming’s premier snowmobiling destination: Togwotee Mountain Lodge

Samuel Brockway

A couple of snowmobiling newbies hop aboard some steel horse sleds to explore the mountains of Wyoming.

Hiking in comfort: a review of Danner Mountain 600 Evo boots

Meghan White

Picture this: a crisp morning in San Diego, the sun peeking over the horizon, casting a warm glow over Oak Canyon in Mission Trails Regional Park.

A peek through God's window

Heather Arnold

There is something about the promise of a warm sunrise and the open road. I answer the call of the mountains. And find peace and calm. And a healthy dose of waffles and walks!

Three-day winter itinerary for Yosemite National Park

Cindy Villasenor

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Great Lakes Circle Tour > The Circle Tours > Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Working in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) helped to make the first of the official Great Lakes Circle Tours a reality. On the MDOT side, Jack Morgan, assistant to the department’s deputy director, introduced the concept of a Circle Tour in 1987. Just 14 months later, agreement had been reached on a route and signs to be posted along the 1,100-mile tour completely circling Lake Michigan. The WMTA filled the need for a guidebook and when the Chicago Tribune and Milwaukee Journal ran articles in 1988 about the new Circle Tour, 150 callers from the Chicagoland area along deluged the WMTA staff the next Monday morning, requesting the guide. Two days later, 700 guidebook requests came in from Illinois and Wisconsin and the following day an additional 1,000 phone and mail requests poured in to their offices.

Present-Day Concerns and the Tri-Modal Corridor

In November 2012, the inaugural meeting of the Lake Michigan Trails Conference was convened in Saugatuck by Western Michigan University professor Dave Lembeck. Lembeck is championing both the completion of a Lake Michigan “water trail” for kayakers, canoeists and other paddlers around the lake’s entire shoreline as well as an interconnection between the water trail, the new U.S. Bicycle Route 35 (USBR-35) and the existing Lake Michigan Circle Tour. The envisioned “Tri-Modal Corridor” would accommodate non-motorized transportation and recreation via the “water trail” in the Lake and the bicycle route on land. The LMCT would help link the various bicycle trailheads and water access points together.

Unfortunately, actual signage along the Lake Michigan Circle Tour route has deteriorated over time. While Wisconsin has generally kept the Circle Tour reasonably well posted, signage in Michigan and Illinois is lacking and long segments of the LMCT in Indiana are now completely unsigned. Indeed, when the numbered highways that the Circle Tour ran along were rerouted in Northwest Indiana in recent years, the LMCT route markers were regrettably not relocated or replaced. Furthermore, highway signing standards may have changed to the point where including Circle Tour route markers alongside the other numbered highway markers on freeway signage is no longer allowed or encouraged. While hundreds of the standard Circle Tour markers are still found alongside the roadside in Michigan, some locations where the LMCT changes directions (e.g. transitions from one highway to another) are now under-signed or completely unsigned altogether. This was cited as a major concern by the attendees at the 2012 Lake Michigan Trails Conference.

Conference attendees vowed to support the ongoing efforts of the existing organizations assembling the resources necessary to complete the Lake Michigan Water Trail and the signed U.S. Bicycle Route network now underway around the periphery of the Lake. Additionally, attendees citied a need to renew coordination and oversight of the Great Lakes Circle Tour Program within the various state departments of transportation, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the de facto coordinating agency, the Great Lakes Commission. Several of those in attendance pledged resources and a commitment to both preserve the Circle Tour routes and look for ways to improve the coordination and signage into the future. Creating background documentation, documenting and recording the officially-adopted Circle Tour route, clarifying route signage standards and formalizing a route maintenance policy are just some of the concepts put forth in the revitalization of these important tourist routes.

Lack of Official Routing & Erroneous Information

Unfortunately, the Great Lakes Commission's own description of the LMCT is largely incorrect, both in terms of the actual route and because of numerous typos and incorrect community names. For example, as of last check (March 2013), errors in just the "Lake Michigan Circle Tour Road Route" section of the Commission's LMCT page give the following description of the route in Lower Peninsula:

ROUTE: Follow I-96E to Holland; US-31N to Manistee; MI-22 to Traverse City; US-31 to Petoskey; MI-119 to the town of Cross Bridge; C66 to US-31; cross the Mackinaw Bridge (toll) into the Upper Peninsula

The first major issue is to get to Holland from Indiana, one needs to first follow US-12 East (not listed) before transitioning onto I-94 East (not listed), then exit that route and follow BL I-94 and M-63 through St Joseph and Benton Harbor (not listed), transitioning then onto I-196/US-31 North (also not listed!) with a loop through downtown South Haven via BL I-196 (not listed), then back to I-196/US-31 North, before exiting onto US-31 North to reach Holland. On top of that, I-96 doesn't go to Holland at all!

From Holland to Petoskey the directions are somewhat better, although loops through downtown Muskegon, the downtowns of Whitehall and Motague, and through Pentwater via the respective BUS US-31 routings are omitted. However, from Petoskey, the LMCT has never run along M-119 and even if it did, the directions erroneously call the community of Cross Village , Cross Bridge , instead! (It's never been called Cross Bridge since its was founded in 1830!) But after omitting the connection from US-31 onto I-75 once US-31, the name of one of Michigan's most famous landmarks is misspelled: the Mackina c Bridge! If these directions are this bad—and have been since it was first reported to the Great Lakes Commission in the late 1990s (a decade and a half ago!) —how trustworthy is the rest of the information!

Lake Michigan Circle Tour Route

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour (LMCT) enters the state from Indiana southwest of New Buffalo, continues up the east coast of Lake Michigan and crosses the Mackinac Bridge along with the Lake Huron Circle Tour. From St. Ignace, the LMCT heads west across the Upper Peninsula then turns southwesterly to Menominee where it continues into Wisconsin. In Michigan, the 631-mile route generally follows the state trunkline highway running closest to Lake Michigan. The officially designated route for the LMCT is as follows:

• The LMCT enters Michigan from Indiana on US-12 south of New Buffalo and proceeds northerly through New Buffalo to I-94.
• The route leaves US-12 and continues northerly on I-94 from Exit 4 toward St Joseph.
• At Exit 23, the route exits I-94 and continues northerly into downtown St Joseph via BL I-94.
• In St Joseph, the LMCT continues northerly on M-63 into northern Berrien Co.
• At the nothern terminus of M-63, the circle tour proceeds northerly on I-196/US-31 toward South Haven.
• The route leaves I-196/US-31 at Exit 18 and loops through South Haven using BL I-196.
• On the east side of South Haven, where BL I-196 ends at I-196/US-31 Exit 20, the route continues north into Allegan Co on I-196/US-31.
• While the LMCT remains on I-196/US-31 at Saugatuck/Douglas, a locally-designated LMCT Harbor Tour loop route is signed concurrently with A-2/Blue Star Hwy between Exits 36 and 41.
• The circle tour continues northerly on US-31/BL I-196 toward Holland at Exit 44 when I-196 splits off to the east.
• On the east side of Holland, the route continues northerly following US-31 through Grand Haven and toward Norton Shores.
• At the jct of US-31 & I-96, the LMCT leaves US-31 and follows BUS US-31 through downtown Muskegon.
• Northeast of downtown Muskegon, the route continues northerly via M-120 to North Muskegon and northeasterly back to US-31.
• Back on US-31, the circle tour continues northerly toward Ludington, leaving US-31 twice: once to follow the route of BUS US-31 through the downtowns of Whitehall and Montague in northern Muskegon Co; and again to follow the route of BUS US-31 through downtown Pentwater in Oceana Co.
• At the end of the US-31 freeway near Ludington, the LMCT turns east following US-10/US-31 toward Scottville.
• At Scottville, the circle tour turns northerly again to follow US-31 toward Manistee, although a locally-designated LMCT Loop Route formerly continued east on US-10 into downtown, then northerly via Old US-31 back to US-31 and the LMCT. ( NOTE: The LMCT Loop route through Scottville was removed/decommissioned some time in late 2004 or early 2005 and no longer exists. )
• The route continues northerly from Scottville and through Manistee on US-31.
• Northeast of Manistee, the route turns northerly to follow M-22 through Onekama, Frankfort and Empire.
• Northeast of Empire, a LMCT Loop Route leaves M-22 to follow M-109 past Glen Haven, rejoining M-22 at Glen Arbor. (The mainline LMCT remains on M-22 between Empire and Glen Arbor.)
• From Glen Arbor, the circle tour continues northerly on M-22 through Leland to Northport. At Northport, M-22 and the LMCT turn nearly 180 degrees to head southerly into Traverse City.
• At Traverse City, the LMCT returns to US-31 and continues northerly via US-31 through Elk Rapids, Charlevoix and Petoskey and on toward the Mackinac Bridge.
• South of Mackinaw City, where US-31 ends, the route continues northerly on I-75 crossing the Mackinac Bridge and entering the Upper Peninsula at St Ignace. Between Mackinaw City and St Ignace, the LMCT is jointed by the Lake Huron Circle Tour .
• In St Ignace, the LMCT continues westerly along US-2 for more than 140 miles through Manistique and Gladstone to Escanaba.
• At Escanaba, the circle tour continues southwesterly via M-35 along the Green Bay shoreline to Menominee
• The route continues south on US-41 through Menominee and enters Wisconsin at Marinette.

The LMCT enters Wisconsin at Marinette and follows the shore of Green Bay through its namesake city, then runs up nearly the entire length of the Door Peninsula before looping back to continue south along the western shore of Lake Michigan through Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, and Racine, exiting the state into Illinois south of Kenosha. Approximately 351 miles of the LMCT exist in Wisconsin. The officially signed route for the LMCT is as follows:

• Enters from the State of Michigan via US-41 on the Interstate Bridge in the City of Marinette, Marinette Co.
• Southerly via US-41 through downtown Marinette, continuing southwesterly along US-41 past Peshtigo and Oconto to Abrams.
• At Exit 187, the LMCT continues southerly via US-41/US-141 from Abrams toward Green Bay.
• Southerly at Exit 171 via I-43 through the City of Green Bay via the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge.
• Northeasterly at Exit 185 to follow WIS-57 from Green Bay past Dyckesville and into Door County.
• At the southernmost junction of WIS-57 & WIS-42, the LMCT actually loops over itself. Continuing along the route in the counterclockwise direction, the LMCT continues northeasterly via WIS-42/WIS-57 past Sturgeon Bay to the second junction of WIS-42 & WIS-57.
• Northeasterly via WIS-57 along the Lake Michigan shore through Jacksonport and Bailey’s Harbor, then northerly into Sister Bay and the third junction of WIS-57 & WIS-42.
• Southwesterly to follow the east shore of Green Bay via WIS-42 through Ephraim, Fish Creek, and Egg Harbor back to the second junction of WIS-42 & WIS-57.
• Southwesterly past Sturgeon Bay via WIS-42/WIS-57 to the first junction of WIS-42 & WIS-57 southwest of Sturgeon Bay.
• Southerly via WIS-42 through Algoma, Kewaunee, and Two Rivers and into Manitowoc.
• Southerly via US-10/BUS WIS-42 into downtown Manitowoc.
• LMCT Spur: Continues southerly, then easterly and northerly via US-10 from downtown Manitowoc to the Lake Michigan Carferry dock.
• Westerly from downtown Manitowoc via US-151/BUS WIS-42 to I-43 at Exit 149.
• Southerly via I-43 from Manitowoc to WIS-42 at Exit 128 northwest of Sheboygan.
• Southeasterly via WIS-42/Calumet Dr from I-43 at Exit 128 into Sheboygan to North Ave.
• Easterly via North Ave to N 3rd St.
• Southerly via N 3rd St to Lincoln Ave.
• Easterly via Lincoln Ave to Boughton Dr.
• Follows the Lake Michigan shoreline in a generally southerly direction via Boughton Dr to Pennsylvania Ave.
• Westerly via Pennsylvania Ave from Boughton Dr to Riverfront Dr in downtown Sheboygan.
• Southwesterly via Riverfront Dr to S 8th St.
• Southerly across the Sheboygan River via S 8th St to the roundabout at Indiana Ave.
• Easterly for one block via Indiana Ave from the 8th St roundabout to S 7th St.
• Southerly via S 7th St to High Ave.
• Southerly from S 7th Ave & High Ave via Lakeshore Dr to Washington Ave.
• Westerly via Washington Ave from Lakeshore Dr to junction WIS-28 at the intersection of Washington Ave & Business Dr.
• Easterly via WIS-28/Washington Ave from Business Dr to I-43 at Exit 123.
• Southerly via I-43 from Exit 123 southwest of Sheboygan toward Port Washington. (I-43 and the LMCT are joined by WIS-32 at Exit 113 near Cedar Grove.)
• Southerly via WIS-32/Wisconsin St from I-43 at Exit 100 into Port Washington.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Franklin St from Wisconsin St through the Port Washington downtown business district to WIS-32/Grand Ave.
• Westerly via WIS-32/Grand Ave from Franklin St to junction WIS-33 at Spring St west of downtown Port Washington.
• Southwesterly via WIS-32/Spring St from WIS-33 toward I-43 at Exit 93 at Grafton.
• Southerly via I-43/WIS-32/WIS-57 from Exit 93 northeast of Grafton into Milwaukee County.
• Easterly from I-43 at Exit 82 via WIS-32/Brown Deer Rd, then southerly via WIS-32/N Lake Dr through the suburban communities of Bayside, Fox Point and Whitefish Bay and into the City of Milwaukee.
• Westerly via WIS-32/Bradford Ave from N Lake Dr to WIS-32/Farwell Ave.
• Southwesterly via WIS-32/Farwell Ave from Bradford Ave to Franklin Pl, then southerly via WIS-32/Franklin Pl to Prospect Ave. (Northbound LMCT follows WIS-32 Prospect Ave from Franklin Pl to Bradford Ave.)
• Southerly via WIS-32/Prospect Ave to State St.
• Southbound LMCT follows WIS-32/State St westerly from Prospect Ave to US-18/WIS-32/Broadway, then southerly via US-18/WIS-32 Broadway from State St to Michigan St, continuing southerly via WIS-32/Broadway from Michigan St to St Paul St. LMCT southbound then runs easterly via WIS-32/St Paul St from Broadway to WIS-32/Milwaukee St. Northbound LMCT follows WIS-32/Milwaukee St northerly from St Paul St to US-18/Michigan St, then continuing northerly via US-18/WIS-32/Milwaukee St to Wells St. LMCT northbound then continues easterly via WIS-32/Wells St from Milwaukee St to Prospect St, then northerly via WIS-32/Prospect St to WIS-32 Sbd/State St.
• LMCT continues from downtown Milwaukee southerly via WIS-32/Milwaukee St to Menominee & Young Sts.
• Southwesterly via WIS-32/Young St from Milwaukee St to Erie St and via WIS-32/Broadway across the Milwaukee River to Water St.
• Westerly via WIS-32/Pittsburgh Ave to S 1st St.
• Southerly via WIS-32/S 1st St from Pittsburgh Ave to Kinnickinnic Ave.
• Southeasterly via WIS-32/Kinnickinnic Ave from S 1st St to Howard Ave.
• Easterly via WIS-32/Howard Ave from Kinnickinnic Ave to S Lake Dr.
• Southerly via WIS-32/S Lake Dr from Howard Ave to E College Ave.
• Westerly via WIS-32/E College Ave from S Lake Dr to N Chicago Ave.
• Southerly via WIS-32/N Chicago Ave and 10th Ave from E College Ave to Marquette Ave in the City of South Milwaukee.
• Westerly via WIS-32/Marquette Ave from 10th Ave to S Chicago Ave.
• Southerly via WIS-32/S Chicago Ave from Marquette Ave in South Milwaukee to through the City of Oak Creek and into Racine County.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Douglas Ave from Milwaukee County into the City of Racine at Hamilton St.
• Easterly via WIS-32/Hamilton St from Douglas Ave to N Main St.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Main St through downtown Racine to 6th St.
• Southbound LMCT continues westerly via WIS-32/6th St from Main St to Washington Ave. Northbound LMCT continues easterly via WIS-32/7th St from Washington Ave to Main St where it continues northerly via WIS-32/Main St.
• Southwesterly from the intersection of 6th St, 7th St & Washington Ave via WIS-32/Washington Ave to Racine St.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Racine St from WIS-20/Washington Ave into the south side of Racine.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Sheridan Rd from Racine Ave into Kenosha County and the City of Kenosha.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Alford Park Dr from Sheridan Rd at Carthage Collage to  Sheridan Rd south of Alford Park.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Sheridan Rd from Alford Park Dr through downtown Kenosha and then through Pleasant Prairie.
• Southerly via WIS-32/Sheridan Rd in Pleasant Prairie into Illinois at Russell Rd, entering Winthrop Harbor, Illinois.

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour (LMCT) enters Illinois at Winthrop Harbor in northeastern Lake County and continues south through Zion, Waukegan, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Winnetka and Evanston. In these areas, the LMCT follows the route of Sheridan Rd very closely. Once in the City of Chicago, the Circle Tour joins iconic Lake Shore Drive through the city before exiting the state into Indiana. About 61.9 miles of the LMCT exist in Illinois. The Illinois route of the LMCT route is as follows:

• Enters from the State of Wisconsin via SR-137/Sheridan Rd in the Village of Winthrop Harbor in northeastern Lake County.
• Southerly via SR-137/Sheridan Rd through Winthrop Harbor, Zion and Beach Park to Greenwood Ave in Waukegan.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd from Greenwood Ave (where SR-137 turns easterly toward the Amstutz Expwy) into downtown Waukegan to Belvidere St.
• Westerly via Belvedere St from Sheridan Rd for one block to S Genesee St in Waukegan.
• Southerly via S Genesee St from Belvidere St for three blocks to SR-137/Sheridan Rd-Amstutz Expwy in Waukegan.
• Southerly via SR-137/Sheridan Rd from S Genesee St in Waukegan to Martin Luther King Jr Dr (Co Rd A-31) in North Chicago.
• Southerly via SR-137/Bobby E Thompson Expwy from Martin Luther King Jr Dr (Co Rd A-31) to SR-137/Buckley Rd in North Chicago.
• Easterly via connecting ramps from SR-137/Buckey Rd-Bobby E Thompson Expwy to Sheridan Rd in North Chicago.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd from SR-137 ramps in North Chicago to intersection of Sheridan Rd, East Sheridan Rd & McKinley Rd in Lake Bluff.
• Easterly via East Sheridan Rd from Sheridan Rd-McKinley Rd to intersection of East Sheridan Rd, North Sheridan Rd, Moffett Rd & Cambridge Ln in Lake Bluff.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd through Lake Forest to Westleigh Rd intersection.
• Southeasterly via Sheridan Rd from Westleigh Rd intersection in Lake Forest to intersection of Sheridan Rd, Waukegan Ave & Walker Ave in Highwood.
• Easterly via Walker Ave from Sheridan Rd-Waukegan Rd in Highwood to Oak St in Highland Park.
• Southerly via Oak St from Walker Ave for two blocks to Edgecliff Dr.
• Easterly via Edgecliff Dr from Oak St for one block to Sheridan Rd.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd from Edgecliff Dr to Central Ave in downtown Highland Park.
• Southwesterly via Central Ave for one short block in downtown Highland Park from Sheridan Rd to St Johns Ave.
• Southerly via St Johns Ave from Central Ave in downtown Highland Park to Sheridan Rd.
• Southeasterly following the many twists and turns of Sheridan Rd—the road encounters many 90° turns at several intersections in this area—through the rest of Highland Park and the communities of Glencoe, Winnetka, Kenilworth, and WiImette, to the intersection of Sheridan Rd, Ridge Ave & Isabella St in Evanston.
• Easterly via Sheridan Rd from intersection of Ridge Ave & Isabella St for two blocks to Lakeside Ct in Evanston.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd from Lakeside Ct through the campus of Northwestern University to Chicago Ave in Evanston.
• Southeasterly via Sheridan Rd for four blocks from Chicago Ave to Campus Dr in Evanston.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd from Campus Dr for three blocks to Forest Ave
• Southwesterly via Forest Ave from Sheridan Rd for one block to Davis St.
• Southerly via Forest Ave from Davis St for four blocks to Burnham Pl.
• Southbound LMCT continues southerly via Forest Ave from Burnham Pl for four blocks to Main St, then runs easterly via Main St from Forest Ave for two blocks to Sheridan Rd where it continues easterly. Northbound LMCT runs northerly from the intersection of Main St & Sheridan Rd via Sheridan Rd for four blocks to Burnham Pl, then runs westerly via Burnham Pl for two blocks to Forest Ave where it continues northerly.
• Easterly via Sheridan Rd from Main St for one block to Clark Square Park, then southerly via Sheridan Rd to South Blvd.
• Easterly from South Blvd, then southerly, then westerly via Sheridan Rd to skirt the edge of Calvary Cemetery and enter the City of Chicago.
• Southerly via Sheridan Rd from Calvary Cemetery to intersection of Devon Ave & N Broadway.
• From the intersection of Sheridan Rd, Devon Ave & North Broadway, the LMCT continues southerly via North Broadway from Sheridan Rd-Devon Ave to intersection of Bryn Mawr Ave & Ridge Ave.
• Southerly via US-14/North Broadway from Bryn Mawr Ave & Ridge Ave to US-41/Foster Ave.
• Easterly via US-41/Foster Ave from US-14/North Broadway to Lake Shore Dr.
• Southerly via US-41/Lake Shore Dr from Foster Ave through downtown Chicago to intersection of Lake Shore Dr, Jeffery Blvd & Marquette Dr in Jackson Park.
• Easterly via US-41/Marquette Dr from Lake Shore Dr & Jeffrey Blvd to intersection of Marquette Dr, E 67th St & S South Shore Dr.
• Southerly via US-41/S South Shore Dr from E 67th St & Marquette Dr for five blocks to intersection of S South Shore Dr, E 71st St, Yates Blvd & Exchange Ave.
• Easterly via US-41/E South Shore Dr from intersection of S South Shore Dr, E 71st St, Yates Blvd & Exchange Ave for two blocks to the eastern intersection with E 71st St.
• Southeasterly via US-41/S South Shore Dr from intersection of E South Shore Dr & E 71st St for nine blocks to intersection of S South Shore Dr, E 79th St & S Lake Shore Dr.
• Southeasterly then southerly and then southwesterly via US-41/S Lake Shore Dr from intersection of S South Shore Dr & E 79th St to intersection of S Lake Shore Dr, S Mackinaw Ave, Ewing Ave & Harbor Ave.
• Southeasterly via US-41/Ewing Ave from intersection of S Lake Shore Dr, S Mackinaw Ave & Harbor Ave, across the Calumet River to intersection of Ewing Ave & US-12/US-20/E 95th St.
• Southeasterly then southerly via US-12/US-20/US-41/Ewing Ave from 95th St for five blocks to Indianapolis Ave.
• Southeasterly via US-12/US-20/US-41/Indianapolis Ave from Ewing Ave into Indiana at State Line Ave, entering Hammond, Indiana.

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour (LMCT) enters Indiana at Hammond in northwestern Lake County and continues easterly through Whiting, East Chicago, Gary, Burns Harbor, and Michigan City before exiting the state into Michigan. About 46½  miles of the LMCT exist in Indiana.

Note: Route signage for the Indiana segment of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour is missing in most areas of the route.

• Enters from the State of Illinois via US-12/US-20/US-41/Indianapolis Blvd in the City of Hammond in northwestern Lake County.
• Southeasterly via US-12/US-20/US-41/Indianapolis Blvd from the Illinois state line to US-41/Calumet Ave.
• Southeasterly via US-12/US-20/Indianapolis Blvd from US-41/Calumet Ave in Whiting to US-12/Columbus Dr in East Chicago.
• Easterly via US-12/US-20/Columbus Dr from Indianapolis Blvd to SR-912/Cline Ave on the East Chicago/Gary municipal boundary.
• Southerly via SR-912/US-12/Cline Ave from Exit 6 at Columbus Dr to US-20/Michigan St-5th Ave at Exit 10AB.
• Easterly via US-12/US-20/5th Ave from SR-912/Cline Ave to Bridge St in Gary.
• Through downtown Gary, the eastbound LMCT continues easterly via US-12/US-20/5th Ave from Bridge St to Vermont St where it rejoins with the westbound LMCT. The westbound LMCT continues westerly from Vermont St via 4th Ave to Bridge St, then continues southerly for two blocks via US-12/US-20/Bridge St from 4th Ave to 5th Ave where it rejoins with eastbound LMCT.
• East of downtown Gary, the LMCT continues southeasterly via US-12/US-20/Dunes Hwy from Vermont St to the US-12 & US-20 “split” at Dunes Hwy & Melton Rd.
• Easterly via US-12/Dunes Hwy from US-20/Melton Rd in Gary through Portage, Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, and Porter to intersection of Dunes Hwy, County Line Rd & Woodlawn Ave on the western limits of the City of Michigan City.
• Northerly via US-12 from intersection of Dunes Hwy, County Line Rd & Woodlawn Ave to Beverly Dr, then easterly via US-12 into Michigan City at Sheridan Ave.
• Northeasterly via US-12/4th St from Sheridan Ave to intersection of 4th St, Willard Ave & Michigan St.
• Northeasterly via US-12/Michigan St and easterly via US-12/Michigan Blvd from 4th St & Willard Ave through downtown Michigan City to 2nd St at Blue Chip Dr.
• Northeasterly via US-12 from Blue Chip Dr to SR-212.
• Northeasterly via US-12 from SR-212 into Michigan at the state line, entering New Buffalo Township, Michigan.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour Loop Routes

Lake michigan circle tour - harbor tour (saugatuck/douglas).

A locally-designated loop route which helps circle tour motorists navigate into and through the off-route communities of Saugatuck and Douglas in northwestern Allegan Co. While most local loops are designated as "Loop Routes" off the mainline circle tour, this particular route is actually designated as a "Harbor Tour," although it behaves like any other Loop Route. Also, as with all Loop Routes, this route is designated with white-on-brown circle tour signs, using the same LMCT "logo." The route is 7.7 miles long:

• The LMCT Harbor Tour begins at I-196/US-31/LMCT at Exit 34 near Ganges (south of Douglas).
• The Harbor Tour route proceeds easterly from the freeway along M-89/124th Ave to A-2/Blue Star Hwy.
• The route turns northerly on A-2 /Blue Star Hwy into Douglas, passing just west of the downtown area.
• The loop route then crosses into Saugatuck, still via A-2/Blue Star Hwy, passing just east of the downtown.
• The route ends when it meets back up with I-196/US-31/LMCT at Exit 41 northeast of Saugatuck.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour - Spur Route (Ludington-Manitowoc)

This Lake Michigan Circle Tour spur route utilizes the S.S. Badger carferry traversing the middle of Lake Michigan between Ludington and Manitowoc.

• Departs LMCT at the west junction of US-10 & US-31 east of Ludington.
• Westerly via US-10/Ludington Ave from US-31 to James St into downtown Ludington.
• Southerly via US-10/James St from Ludington Ave to the S.S. Badger carferry docks in Ludington.
• LMCT Spur officially continues via the S.S. Badger carferry across Lake Michigan, connecting with the LMCT mainline in downtown Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
• From the S.S. Badger carferry docks in Manitowoc, LMCT Spur continues southwesterly via US-10/Lakeview Dr to Lake St.
• Westerly via US-10/Madison St from Lakeview Dr for two blocks to 8th St.
• Westbound LMCT Spur continues northerly via wbd US-10/8th St from Madison St for four blocks to junction US-10, US-151 & BUS WIS-42, where it terminates. Eastbound LMCT Spur departs LMCT at junction US-10, US-151 & BUS WIS-42 at the intersection of Washington St & 10th St and continues southerly via ebd US-10/10th St for four blocks to Madison St where it continues easterly for two blocks via US-10/Madison St from 10th St to 8th St where it rejoins the westbound LMCT Spur.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour - Loop Route (Sleeping Bear Dunes)

While the Lake Michigan Circle Tour generally follows the closest posted state trunkline to its namesake body of water, the Sleeping Bear Dunes area is one exception. Instead of diverting the mainline LMCT off M-22 for only eight miles, it continues via M-22 through to Glen Arbor and on to Leland. However, as M-109 loops off M-22 to the west (lakeside) through the Sleeping Bear Dunes area, it has been designated as a LMCT Loop Route. The route is 6.8 miles long:

• The LMCT Loop Route begins at the southern jct of M-22 & M-109 just northeast of Empire and continues northerly toward Glen Haven.
• At Glen Haven, the loop route turns east and continues on M-109 toward Glen Arbor.
• The LMCT Loop Route ends at the northern jct of M-22 & M-109 in Glen Arbor.

Back to: The Circle Tours .  

Additional Information

• Lake Michigan Circle Tour - listing from MichiganHighways.org .
• Lake Michigan Circle Tour History - from the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA). The WMTA helped to coordinate the first of the Great Lakes Circle Tours in the 1980s.
• Great Lakes Circle Tour - information from the Great Lakes Commission . It was the GLC who originally established the Great Lakes Circle Tours and continues to provide information on many aspects of the Great Lakes region.
• Lake Michigan Circle Tour - from the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), which "is a partnership that provides one place online for people to find information relating to the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region of North America." Please note that the "Circle Tour Road Route" description from the GLIN site is not only vague, but incorrect! (See description above.)
• --> Shoreline Charms (via archive.org )- an article by Donna Marchetti about the Lake Michigan Circle Tour from the Michigan Living magazine published by AAA Michigan.

Copyright © 1997-2014 Christopher J. Bessert. All Rights Reserved.  |   [email protected]   |  Last updated Thursday, May 15, 2014 .

• Destinations
• Beyond Great Lakes

Lake Michigan Circle Tour – The Great Bike Touring Adventure (part 1)

Expanding my bike touring experience, I decided go on a longer – one month – tour, to ride around Lake Michigan. I began my Lake Michigan tour by bicycle straight from home, in northeastern Detroit suburbs. So, first I had to get to the west side of Michigan. However, the section across the state to Lake Michigan shoreline in South Haven will be part of another post about the Lake to Lake Trail Route #1.

Since I would be biking through some highly populated areas, that I have nor biked in before, and I had no idea what to expect, I decided to plan the route in detail. I spent days studying maps of roads and trails, looking at satellite images to find out if there is a shoulder along the particular road. I read other cyclists blogs about riding around the lake.

When I was done, I had a detailed route with turn-by-turn navigation. I loaded it all into my Garmin Edge Explore. It was a great decision. If I had to navigate with paper maps, or Google maps on the phone, or written notes (as I have done before), it would have taken a lot more time on some days. I probably would have gone wrong way few times here and there, during some complicated ride days… So, having it all on my Garmin helped a lot. Even though, there were few times, when my Garmin lost satellite signal, and I had to use a phone to navigate.

So, my tour around the lake began in South Haven , a beach town in southwestern Michigan, of course, on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Sometime around the middle of June I began riding south, and so my Lake Michigan tour by bicycle had begun.

I followed the lake shoreline, in a clockwise direction, riding through Benton Harbor, New Buffalo, and soon after I crossed the border with Indiana. I went through Michigan City, and later rode on great long trails – Prairie Duneland Trail, Oak Savannah Trail and Erie Lackawanna Trail – through most of Indiana and to the vicinity of Illinois. Not much later, I was already in Chicago.

From Chicago I kept following the shoreline riding on some trails but also on roads through North Chicago, Waukegan, Il.  Then I crossed the Illinois-Wisconsin border, and rode through Kenosha, Racine and later – Milwaukee. I kept following the western shoreline of Lake Michigan, going through Port Washington, Sheboygan and Manitowoc.

I skipped the Door Peninsula and went straight to Green Bay. From there I followed the western shoreline of Green Bay, going through Marinette, after which I crossed back into Michigan. Then I went to Escanaba, and later followed US-2 through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

When I got to Saint Ignace, I crossed back to Lower Peninsula via Mackinac Island. From there I kept riding along the western shoreline of Lower Peninsula through Petoskey, Charlevoix to Traverse City.

Then, again, I skipped some shoreline along Leelanau Peninsula and went directly to Frankfort. And from there I again followed the Lake Michigan shoreline through Manistee, Ludington, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Saugatuck and to close to loop – back to South Haven.

Since the whole story ended up being quite long, I decided to break it into few sections:

• The first part covers the ride from South Haven, MI to Chicago, IL.
• The next one – from Chicago to Manitowoc, WI.
• The third – from Manitowoc, WI to Mackinaw City, MI.
• The forth – from Mackinaw City, MI to Sliver Lake, MI.
• The final one – from Silver Lake, MI back to South Haven, MI.

The route, obviously, consisted of trails and roads. The total ride around the lake amounted to around 1,100 miles. More details about the route is provided in the daily segments. I am actually providing very detailed description or my route hoping that it will help other people with planning their trip. I, myself, while planning my ride, was looking for information like that. However, if you just want to read about my daily experiences, but are not interested in detailed trip routing skip the segments in italics.

It took 20 days for me to circle Lake Michigan. I began going around the lake in the middle of June and finished in early July.

Lake Michigan Tour by Bicycle – From South Haven to Chicago

South haven to sawyer (46 miles/69 km).

On the first day I went from South Haven to Sawyer, MI . Originally, I was planning on going all the way to Michigan City, IN . However, when I got to South Haven, the temperature rose into the 90’s (33 deg. C). And it was suppose stay in the 90’s for the next few days. Therefore, I adjusted down my daily distances for next two days.

The traffic was moderate, and the road had for most part – pretty wide shoulder (up to 5 – 6 ft (1.5 – 1.8 m)). Of course, there were very short, sections, where it narrowed down to almost nothing. Shortly before I got to Benton Harbor, the shoulder disappeared completely. However, there was a rough sidewalk and trail that you could ride on, if you wanted to get off the smooth road.

I skirted center of St. Joseph – by riding on local streets close to the shore.

Originally, I was planning camping in Warren Dunes State Park (Read more about it in my post: Small but Beautiful Warren State Park in Michigan ). Then I found out that it would cost me $46 for a campsite for one night. When I considered that, the fact that it was over 90 F, and the rumor that black flies were really bad in the park, I decided to pay a little bit more and stay in a hotel.

Today it was not an easy riding. It was very hot and pretty much the whole day I had a strong headwind. So, when I got to Sawyer I was tired. However, my Lake Michigan tour has begun. This was my fifth day of riding since I left home, but my first of Lake Michigan circle tour.

Sawyer to Michigan City (45 miles/72 km)

It was going to be another hot day. But I was riding only 35 miles to Beverly Shores, IN, just south of Michigan City, IN , where I was staying with Warmshowers hosts.

A lot of expensive, beautiful homes there to enjoy passing by along the shoreline.

I wanted to explore the Indiana Dunes State Park , to which I have never been before. To get to it, I had to ride on the Calumet Trail . The trail was recommended route south by one of the bloggers that rode around the lake. To my surprise, I found the Calumet Trail to be a horrible substitute for a trail! The section that I rode on, by the state park, was often flooded so badly, that I could not get through on my loaded bike and had to walk it. When I eventually got to some dry ground, I found the trail to be covered by loose gravel that was difficult to ride on Michigan my 37 mm tires. If you were on a mountain bike, the trail could be rideable.

Calumet Trail: If you are touring through, avoid the Calumet Trail. A lot of loose gravel, and after a rain, a lot of big and deep puddles.

This was a good reconnaissance, because tomorrow I was suppose to ride the trail further south.

The park was really busy, and the temperature was quite high, in the mid 90’s (mid 30 C). I relaxed in a shade and had something cold to drink to cool off. After a while, I got back on the bike to ride back to Beverly Shores towards the area where my Warmshowers hosts’ house was located.

I rode back on W Dunes Hwy/US Hwy 12. Later I found out from my hosts, who are avid road cyclists, that US Hwy 12 is quite dangerous, and every year a cyclist dies on it hit by a vehicle.

My Warmshowers hosts were wonderful. Since it was very hot, as soon as I arrived in their house I was given an ice-cold bottle of Gatorade, and offered to take shower to get the sweat and grime off my body. Later we had a dinner and a beer and a nice conversation, mostly about biking and local biking options.

One of the hosts told me, as I have already mentioned about, US Hwy 12 was not safe, and offered to lead me out of town tomorrow morning and get me safely to the trailhead of Prairie Duneland Trail in Chesterton.

Today, even though, the day was really hot, and I had some headwind, the ride wasn’t really hard. This is why I went the additional miles to state park.

Michigan City to Chicago (70 miles/112 km)

When I was thinking about the trip, this section was giving me the most stress. I have talked to few friends who bike tour too. They were saying that they would like to go touring around Lake Michigan, but because of the section from Indiana to Chicago, which in their view would be crazy dangerous for many reasons, they will not do it.

It was not the case. And it just shows you, that you should not rely on other people’s opinion. Especially, coming from people who have not done it, or been there. It’s just their opinion, based on who knows what.

The section, while quite long (70 miles) was mostly on trails, and then in Chicago , on quiet roads with bike lanes. It was one of the least stressful days of my journey!

On the other hand, it is good to listen to local riders. They often know more than you can find on the Internet. Since I was staying with the Warmshowers host last night, one of them offered to guide me on local roads to the trailhead of Prairie Duneland Trail in Chesterton, and thus avoiding the horrible Calumet Trail and busy US Hwy 12.

From Beverly Shores, I went, guided by my host, on many local loads, going mostly south, till we got directly east of Chesterton. We left early – at 7 AM.

While the route sounds pretty complicated, when you program it into your GPS, it is easy to follow. During the day I rode about 70 miles, which included a little site seeing and wondering along the Lakefront Trail since I arrived in the city more than an hour before I could check into the hotel.

By the way, the Lakefront Trail, while very busy, is a beautiful trail following the city’s lake front, and wondering through many parks along. It offers many spectacular views of the lake and Chicago’s downtown. You can read more about it in my post here: Bike Ride on the Chicago’s Lakefront Trail .

It was a log ride and when I finally got to a hotel I was tired. This was another really hot day. When I got to downtown Chicago , the temperature was 94 F (34 C).

Today I went form Michigan, through Indiana to Illinois…

Here I should talk about the hotel a little bit. I made my reservation through Hotels.com, and I reserved a room in Travelodge by Wyndham in downtown. The reason for that was that I wanted to stay close to the trail, so I wouldn’t have to ride on busy Chicago streets. When I got to my room, I was shocked! This was probably the biggest dump, the dingiest room that I ever stayed in. The total accommodation including bathroom was probably less than half the area that it was supposed to be according to Hotels.com description. There were no window curtains. The windows had cheap plastic shades. The bathroom was so small, that you could barely turn around.

I went down to the reception desk and told them that they gave me the wrong room, that it was not what I reserved. The answer was: no, the room is correct. Take it or leave it!… All this for a small price of $217/night!… So, stay away from Travelodge in downtown Chicago!…

To be continued…

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Lake Michigan Circle Itinerary: A 7-Day Road Trip Through 4 States

• 20 July 2021 16 May 2023

The Lake Michigan Circle is one of the quintessential, must-do American road trips . You’ll find beaches, forests, dunes, and plenty of local breweries and wineries during your 24-hour drive. The trip spans 4 different Midwestern states and dozens of different cities. Read on for a detailed 7-day Lake Michigan circle road trip itinerary !

Last updated: 9 April 2023

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. When you purchase through links on my site, I may make a small commission (at no extra cost to you!).

Where to stay in Grand Haven

Where to stay near sleeping bear dunes, book a tour in traverse city, where to stay on mackinac island, where to stay on the upper peninsula, where to stay in milwaukee, book a tour in chicago, planning your lake michigan circle road trip.

This itinerary assumes that you’re starting in Chicago, but you can start from any part of the circle! You can also add or remove days based on how much time you have. I don’t recommend trying to do this in less than 5 days, however, as that would be too much driving at once to be enjoyable. Summer and fall are both wonderful times to take this trip since many of the activities are outdoors.

Lake Michigan circle road trip itinerary

Day 1: indiana dunes, holland, & grand haven.

From Chicago, drive 45 minutes over the state line to the Indiana Dunes. The Indiana Dunes National Park takes up 15 miles of shoreline around Lake Michigan and features a unique ecosystem with lots of native birds and plants. Spend the morning here either relaxing by the beach or doing something a bit more active. Afterwards, stop by the nearby town of Michigan City, IN for lunch at Shoreline Brewery.

Fun fact: the Indiana Dunes just became a National Park in February of 2019, making it the third-newest park after White Sands (December 2019) and New River Gorge (December 2020)!

Things to do at Indiana Dunes National Park

• Relax on one of the 8 beaches
• Hike through dunes, forest, or wetlands
• Kayak or canoe on Lake Michigan

Once you’ve gotten enough beach time, drive 1 hour and 40 minutes along the Dunes Highway to Holland, a city in the state of Michigan. Holland (you can probably guess by the name) is a former Dutch settlement in Michigan. The town could be mistaken for one in the Netherlands , with plenty of tulips, windmills, and European-style architecture. Spend some time exploring the town, and make sure to check out the Windmill Island and Tulip Gardens.

If you have some time, make a quick detour to Grand Rapids — there, you can check out the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, appreciate art at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and have a drink at one of the many breweries.

After exploring Holland, drive thirty minutes to Grand Haven. There are plenty of delicious dinner spots here — Rustic Roots, Mamas Thai Cafe, and Righteous Cuisine are some good options. Catch the sunset at the Grand Haven State Park Lighthouse, then head over to the Musical Fountain in town (it plays nightly at dusk).

• Looking Glass Beachfront Inn
• The Harbor House Inn
• Washington Street Inn

Day 2: Silver Lake & Sleeping Bear Dunes

From Grand Haven, drive 55 minutes north to Petite Pointe Au Sable Lighthouse (Little Sable Point Lighthouse) in Mears, Michigan. Built in 1874, this lighthouse is a great place to take in the grandeur of Lake Michigan and the surrounding sand dunes. Drive a bit farther to get to the town of Ludington, where you can stop for coffee and some pastries at Red Rooster Coffee & Community or relax at Ludington State Park.

After your morning pick-me-up, continue driving north until you reach Inspiration Point. This viewpoint off of the main highway is one of the best places to get a bird’s eye view of the Lake Michigan shoreline. There are a few stairs to reach the top, so make sure to wear some comfortable shoes!

A 45-minute drive from Inspiration Point will bring you the main attraction of the day, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The park encompasses hundreds of acres of sand dunes, lakeshore, and forest. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy, so spend your afternoon doing whatever sounds the most fun.

Things to do at Sleeping Bear Dunes

• Dune Climb: uphill sand climbs and hiking
• Walk or bike the Heritage Trail
• Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
• Canoe the Crystal and Platte rivers
• Camping : on the mainland or on North and South Manitou Islands
• Chimney Corners Resort in Frankfort
• Sylvan Inn Bed & Breakfast in Glen Arbor
• Cedar Ridge Cabins in Honor

Day 3: Traverse City & the Leelanau Peninsula

From Sleeping Bear Dunes, drive 45 minutes to Traverse City. Make sure to stop at Cherry Republic Gift Shop and Pyramid Point Trailhead along the way. You’re in wine country now — sampling some locally-produced bottles is a must today!

Things to do in Traverse City

• Wander around the charming downtown area
• Get a cider flight at Acoustic Tap Room
• Have a tasting at a winery
• Visit Mission Point Lighthouse

Where to stay in Traverse City

• Chateau Chantal Winery and Inn
• Hotel Indigo Traverse City
• The Spring Lighthouse B&B

Day 4: Mackinac Island

Drive 2 hours from Traverse City over to Mackinaw City. Along the way, you’ll drive through the Tunnel of Trees, one of the most scenic routes that feels like you’re getting swallowed by all the nature around you. When you get to Mackinaw City, you’ll need to take the ferry over to Mackinac Island (pronounced like Mack-i-naw ). Adult tickets cost $27 per person with the option of adding a bike pass for $12.

Buy ferry tickets here

Mackinac Island was founded in 1780 and occasionally, it seems like time has stopped completely. There are no cars allowed on the island, due in part to an 1898 ban on “horseless carriages” that has remained unchanged. You won’t find any chain hotels, either — every accommodation option is unique and family-owned. Biking is a popular way to get around the island, as are horse-drawn carriages. Mackinac Island is the best place in the Midwest to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life!

Things to do on Mackinac Island

• Rent a bike (or bring your own) and bike around the perimeter of the island. The M-185 Bicycle Route is 8.2 miles (13 km) long and takes about an hour to complete.
• Check out Arch Rock
• Take a horse-drawn carriage tour
• Learn some local history at Fort Mackinac
• Sample some world-famous fudge at Murdick’s
• Grab lunch at Mighty Mac Hamburgers
• Pine Cottage Bed & Breakfast
• The Inn at Stonecliffe
• Grand Hotel

Note: Hotels on Mackinac Island are notoriously expensive. To save some money, take the ferry back over to the mainland and stay in Mackinaw City or St. Ignace for the night.

Day 5: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Today, you’ll leave the Lower Peninsula and cross over the Mackinac Bridge to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Although it’s only a 15-minute drive across the Straits of Mackinac, the Upper Peninsula feels like a different world from the colonial vibe of Mackinac Island. Its proximity to Canada , heavily forested hills, and lack of decent cell service make it feel like you’re at the ends of the earth. Spend today exploring all of the beautiful marvels of nature the UP has to offer.

Things to do on the Upper Peninsula

• Kayak to Lover’s Leap
• Hike Chapel Basin
• Relax at Miners Beach
• Take in the blue waters of Kitch-iti-kipi, a scenic natural spring
• Explore Fayette Historic Townsite
• Hike up the Porcupine Mountains
• Magnuson Grand Pioneer Inn and Suites in Escanaba
• Kewadin Sault Ste Marie Hotel in Sault Ste Marie
• Landmark Inn in Marquette

Day 6: Wisconsin’s lakeshore

On day 6 of our Lake Michigan circle itinerary, you’ll cross into our fourth and final state — Wisconsin. Land of New Glarus beer, Cheeseheads , and Midwestern hospitality, driving down Wisconsin’s lakeshore is a pleasure in and of itself. Although not quite as scenic as Michigan’s side of the lake, you’ll be sure to soak in some beautiful views along the way regardless.

Things to do on Wisconsin’s eastern coast

• Stop by the historic town of Marinette
• Eat some cheese curds in Green Bay
• Cheer on the Packers at Lambeau Field
• Go swimming at Point Beach State Forest
• Attend a concert at Milwaukee’s annual Summerfest
• Check out some art at the Milwaukee Art Museum
• Hike the Seven Bridges area
• The Muse Gallery Guesthouse
• Ambassador Hotel
• Hyatt Place Milwaukee Downtown

Day 7: Chicago

End your week-long trip right where you started — the Windy City, one of the greatest big cities in the world! Today, you’ll do some sightseeing and finish off strong with some hearty Chicagoan food. You’ve earned it after all that driving!

Things to do in Chicago

• Take cheesy mirror pics at the Bean
• Stroll down Michigan Avenue and do some shopping
• Stand on the edge of the Willis Tower (…ahem… Sears Tower ) Skydeck
• Order some deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s or a Chicago-style hot dog from Superdawg
• Ride the ferris wheel at Navy Pier
• Cheer on the Bears at Soldier Field

⇉ Chicago Summer Activities: The 21 Best Things to Eat, See, and Do

⇉ Winter in Chicago: The Best Things to Eat, See, and Do

Where to stay in Chicago

• LondonHouse
• theWit Chicago

If you have more time on your Lake Michigan circle tour

This Lake Michigan circle itinerary can be easily extended by spending a bit more time in each destination. Additionally, you can add stops to your trip in the following locations:

• New Buffalo
• Downtown South Haven
• Benton Harbor
• St. Joseph: Silver Beach County Park
• Silver Lake State Park
• Downtown Muskegon
• Isle Royale National Park
• Door Peninsula, the “Cape Cod of the Midwest”: Door County, Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, Sturgeon Bay, and Egg Harbor
• Take a boat trip to Washington Island
• Port Washington
• Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve

Things to know before your Lake Michigan circle trip

• If time is not a factor, you can extend your trip to become a full Great Lakes Circle Tour , adding on Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River! The full drive is 6,500 mi (10,460 km) long and takes over 100+ hours of driving.
• Some of the state highways in Illinois are toll roads. You can pay any unpaid tolls after the fact on the Illinois Tollway website .
• Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that’s entirely inside the United States! You won’t be needing your passport for this single-nation circle tour.

Thanks for reading this Lake Michigan circle itinerary! I hope you found it helpful for planning your own road trip.

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Join the conversation

Thanks for this itenerary! We did it exactly as is written this past June 2023. We did stay 2 days in Glen Arbor at the Sylvan Inn. We rented bikes in town and rode out on the heritage trail. We also rented kayaks to go down the creek there (can’t remember the name) That was my favorite place! I also really liked Traverse City. Unfortunately we did experience some of the smoke from the Canadian fires in both Milwaukee and Chicago, but it wasn’t horrible. We had beautiful weather on Mackinac Island however. I loved all the cherry stores, but was there too soon for the actual fruit! However we experienced no mosquitos that Michigan is known for. Beautiful sandy beaches, and friendly people!!

Following your itinerary! Shoreline Brewery is a must. Jasmine I’d the best!

Hi Niki! We are planning on using your itinerary this summer for a road trip with our 3 boys (ages 10,8,4). We want to spend a couple days in Chicago to kick it off. Which stops would you cut out while traveling with kids? (least kid-friendly activities). Thanks!

Hey Lauren! That sounds like an awesome trip! I’d say that the majority of this itinerary is actually super kid-friendly, especially if you go at your own pace and leave some extra room to stop between cities. Most of the suggestions I’ve listed are outdoors and/or free which is awesome! Running down sand dunes, exploring Mackinac Island, and camping/biking/hiking around Door Peninsula would be my must-dos with kids. If I had to pick one stop to get rid of, it would be the Leelenau Peninsula — there’s not as much to do and the kids would probably find the wineries/breweries boring. Chicago in particular is a really family-friendly city. Depending on what they’re interested in, I’d recommend checking out Lincoln Park Zoo, the Children’s Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, and the Museum of Science and Industry! Happy travels 🙂

Thanks so very much for your great website…. I was lucky to find you while considering my trip around Lake Michigan next Septembfer

I spend half an hour to read this website’s articles or reviews all the time along with a cup of coffee 🙂

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Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map & Circle Tour

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Circling Lake Michigan

Vacationers have been looping the lake for generations, but the official “Lake Michigan Circle Tour” route was not established until the 1980s when the Michigan Department of Transportation teamed up with West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) to create the route and its official guidebook. Along the way, find more than 100 lighthouses, countless islands, unique attractions, parks and natural areas, miles of glorious beaches, quaint harbor towns, an internationally-recognized urban center, and one “modern marvel” – the Mackinac Bridge.

While a loosely-organized “circle route” around Lake Superior was promoted by local tourist organizations as early as the 1960s, the first official (and signed) Great Lakes Circle Tour was the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. The only single-nation Circle Tour (Lake Michigan being the only Great Lake completely within the US), the Lake Michigan Circle Tour also has the most mileage of any Circle Tour in the state.

Working in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the West Michigan Tourist Association helped to make the first of the official Great Lakes Circle Tours a reality and the first publication was released in 1988 as a 52-page guide book. The guide book was transformed into a map in 2007, and the route can now be found online at Lake Michigan Circle Tour: Lighthouse Driving Itinerary .

Recommended stop: Indigo Bluffs – Sleeping Bear Dunes  in Empire

Lighthouse Passport Club

Lighthouse hunting is an addicting hobby, and one shared by hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. The U.S. Lighthouse Society’s Lighthouse Passport Program and Club is the perfect complement to this passion allowing you to record your lighthouse visits, and achieve recognition for your accomplishments.

To purchase your very own passport, you can sign up online at www.uslhs.org or by calling 415-362-7255.

Lighthouse Links

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“things to do, places to go”- cosy radio 5/12/2024.

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Historic Sites of Mackinac State Historic Parks Open in About One Month

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Journey the Circle Tour around Southern Lake Michigan

For the purpose of this article, we are starting the Southern Lake Michigan Circle Tour in Manitowoc, Wisconsin , and continuing south (counter-clockwise) around Lake Michigan, eventually ending in Ludington, Michigan , where you can ride the S.S. Badger carferry back to Wisconsin.

Southeast Wisconsin

• After leaving Manitowoc , travel on I-43 south through to Sheboygan .
• Continuing south out of Sheboygan, and into Milwaukee , the largest city in Wisconsin and famous for its breweries.
• Leaving Milwaukee, you will get on WIS-32 and travel to the Wisconsin-Illinois state border.

Illinois Lakeshore

• The short stretch of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour through Illinois travels along Route 137 and then joins Lakeshore Drive (US-41) right at the Lake Michigan coastline through the suburbs of Chicago . You pass by famous landmarks such as Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Lincoln Park Zoo and Calumet Park. It’s a spectacular view of the City of Chicago, as well as the splendor of Lake Michigan.
• The circle re-joins US-12 south of Chicago, and takes you into Indiana.

Indiana Lakeshore

• Indiana has the shortest amount of miles along the Lake Michigan Circle Tour . It follows both US-12 (also known as the Dunes Highway, closest to the lake) and I-94, which parallel each other and begins in Hammond on the westerly side.
• It continues through Gary , which is a major industrial area. 
• After Gary, the Circle Tour follows the Dunes Highway near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. At County Line Road, you’ll find a location for parking at the entrance to the Marquette Hike/Bike Trail.
• The Dunes Highway takes an eastern route through the towns of Burns Harbor, Porter and Chesterton.
• Before leaving Indiana, you enter Michigan City , the east end of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore at Mount Baldy.
• You then travel northeast into Michigan.

Southwest Michigan

• After leaving Indiana, the Michigan route of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour begins. The Circle Tour enters Michigan on US-12 just south of New Buffalo, and continues north on US-12, into New Buffalo .
• After traveling through New Buffalo, the tour leaves US-12 and continues north on  I-94 (Exit 4) toward St. Joseph.
• At Exit 23, the route exits I-94 and continues north through downtown St. Joseph by following BL I-94.
• From St. Joseph, continue north on M-63.
• At the northern terminus of M-63, the tour continues north on I-196/US-31 toward South Haven.
• At Exit 18, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour route leaves I-196/US-31 and takes you into South Haven via BL I-196.
• Exit 20 on the east side of South Haven marks the end of BL I-196, at which point you will continue north on I-196/US-31 into Allegan County, and on toward the Saugatuck / Douglas area.
• The Lake Michigan Circle Tour remains on I-196/US-31 at Saugatuck / Douglas , and there is also a locally-designated Harbor Tour loop route which follows the A-2 Blue Star Highway between Exits 36 an 41. Blue Star Highway presents a more leisurely route as opposed to strictly following I-196/US-31.
• Continue north on I-196/US-31 toward Holland Exit 44, when I-196 splits off to the east, and brings you into the Central West Michigan segment of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.

Central West Michigan

• Following I-196/US 31 north, you enter Holland, known for its Dutch heritage and the famous Tulip Festival in May. Downtown Holland has various shops and eateries that will keep you entertained for hours.
• Heading north, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour follows its lakeshore route on US-31 through Grand Haven , home of the Coast Guard Festival. Here you can visit the beaches, book a charter boat or dine at one of the fantastic restaurants in the area.
• Continue up to Muskegon , home to beaches and dunes, wilderness trails, and the P.J. Hoffmaster State Park.
• After heading north beyond Muskegon, you will leave the city traffic behind and enter a more scenic and leisurely stretch of US-31. Along this highway, there are many exits to visit communities of the White Lake Area (Whitehall and Montague) and the Silver Lake Area (Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Mears, and Hart).
• The Silver Lake Sand Dunes area is a great place to find adventure and fun, with both Silver Lake and Lake Michigan in close proximity.
• Further north you’ll discover Pentwater —an artsy little community along Lake Michigan and Pentwater Lake.
• Just 15 minutes north of Pentwater brings you back into Ludington , and the Southern Lake Michigan Circle Tour is complete. 

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Driving Lake Michigan’s Circle Tour

Posted By: Julie Henning October 17, 2022

Connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a system of locks, canals, and channels along the Saint Lawrence Seaway, a popular Midwest road trip is the Great Lakes Circle Tour, a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. The Great Lakes Circle Tour consists of routes for circumnavigating the Great Lakes, either individually or collectively. The Lake Michigan Circle Tour is part of this system.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

With 1,640 miles of shoreline touching Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour exists within the Great Lakes Circle Tour. First published by the Michigan Department of Transportation and the West Michigan Tourist Association as a 52-page guide book in 1899, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour was replaced by a website in 2007. However, you can order a printable copy of the map to be sent to your home address (we have this and like it).

Marked with this scenic road marker every ten miles, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour is roughly 1,000 miles long, the drive would take about 14 hours to complete without stopping. A key attraction on the tour is 105 Lake Michigan lighthouses, some of which are accessible only by boat. Brown “Harbor Tour” signs are intended to direct travelers on a side trip into one of the many port communities along the lakeshore.

Lighthouse map, courtesy of https://lakelandboating.com/lake-michigan-lighthouse-map-updated/

Key Stops on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Having completed the entire trip over the span of several years and several road trips and in different seasons, there’s something about Lake Michigan that sort of gets in your soul. Here are some of our recommended key stops along the route, with links embedded to more detailed stories previously published on Road Trips for Families.

West Michigan

I grew up in West Michigan, so let’s start there. Sand dunes, boardwalks, and beaches. These three things are fundamental to the childhood of anyone living within 40 miles of “The Lake.” In Holland, Tunnel Park has an amazing playground, beach, and campsites. Duck Lake State Park , north of Muskegon is an excellent spot to try skim boarding (pick your own board up at Meijer or purchase one before your trip ).

I Love Grand Haven Sandcastle at Grand Haven State Park

Grand Haven has a lovely boardwalk and popular state park. We visited last year and went on a sunset cruise (read more in this story ). Hug the lakeshore and continue north on M31 and you’ll pass through Ludington (where the SS Badger car ferry crosses the lake into Manitowoc, Wisconsin). Before you leave, however, be sure to stop and see the lighthouses here (we recommend a visit to Ludington State Park ).

Big Sable Point Lighthouse, Ludington State Park

M22 and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Arguably the most popular tourist destination in Michigan is the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , Traverse City and the Leelanau Peninsula. Once a month I see a M22 sticker on a vehicle out here in Oregon; a testament to the fact that so many of us Michiganders have moved west but still have a formative connection to this part of the world. The Oregon Dunes National Lakeshore is as close as it gets. As I mentioned earlier, some of the stops on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour are only accessible by boat/ferry, namely the Manitou, Beaver, and Squaw Islands.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

I have strong family ties with the Manitou Islands; my great great grandparents settled there after immigrating to America; read about making your own day trip to South Manitou Island in this story.

South Manitou Island Lighthouse

Door County, Wisconsin

Considered the Cape Cod of the Midwest, Door County, Wisconsin is the Wisconsin tourism equivalent of Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula. Also known for wine, cherries, sailing, and shopping, over ten lighthouse stops are noted on this section of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.

Scenic Views of Door County, Wisconsin

Because the wind typically travels West to East across Lake Michigan, you won’t find the spectacular sand dunes (when I first moved to Wisconsin in 1995 I was not expecting a quick and steep drop off into the water at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee – one can easily wade slowly out into Lake Michigan for several hundred feet on the opposite shore). That said, spectacular winds and deep water help put places like Sheboygan, Wisconsin on the map as the Surfing Capitol of the Midwest.

Travel south from Sheboygan and make a stop in Port Washington, home of the famous Pirate Festival . As spectacular as Michigan’s dunes are Wisconsin’s bluffs.

Bluffs Overlooking Port Washington, Wisconsin

Bottom of the Lake

The bottom, or “foot” of Lake Michigan is about the opposite experience from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as it gets (we don’t have any published stories on the U.P, but we’ll fix that soon, eh!) If you have never been to Milwaukee , add it to your bucket list. Milwaukee is one of the most underrated cities in America and has lots to offer for families from museums to parks, sports, festivals, events, tours, and loads of regional, ethnic, non-chain restaurants.

North Port Lighthouse Museum

A lovely stop on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour is the the North Point Lighthouse Museum is a lighthouse built in 1888, located in the picturesque Lake Park and now on the National Register of Historic Places. For more ideas on what to do in Brew City, check out my insiders guide here . Approximately 30 minutes south of Milwaukee in the town of Racine the Windpoint Lighthouse, another lighthouse/museum worth checking out.  We had a nice picnic on the beach here despite visiting in early spring when the wind can still be bitter cold from the recent ice melt.

Windpoint Lighthouse in Racine, Wisconsin

Kenosha , Chicago , South Chicago , and Norther Indiana have stops along the route; the Indiana sand dunes and Indiana Dunes National Park is most definitely on our bucket list.

Kenosha lighthouse. Kids for scale.

Before You Drive the Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Before you visit Wisconsin and Michigan, be sure to read these funny insider tips in these stories:

• 15 Important Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Wisconsin
• 15 Important Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Michigan

About the Author

Julie henning.

Top 20 Fun Things To Do on Lake Michigan

Craving a getaway brimming with natural beauty, thrilling adventures, and charming Midwestern vibes? Look no further than the majestic Lake Michigan! Stretching across four states, this freshwater giant boasts diverse shorelines, from sugar-soft sand beaches to towering dunes, offering an abundance of activities for every kind of traveler.

Whether you seek sun-kissed relaxation, heart-pounding water sports, historical explorations, or vibrant cityscapes, Lake Michigan has you covered. This introduction is just the first wave, beckoning you to discover the countless Things To Do on Lake Michigan . So, pack your bags, grab your sense of adventure, and get ready to embark on an unforgettable lakeside escape!

Table of Contents

1. Relax on the Beaches in South Haven

Known as one of Michigan’s best beach towns, South Haven offers gorgeous stretches of golden sand along Lake Michigan perfect for swimming, sunbathing or just taking in the peaceful views. Two great public beach options are South Beach right downtown and North Beach extending north from the pier. Make sure to sample ice cream, pizza and other beach town treats!

2. Hike Sleeping Bear Dunes National

Perched above Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore protects towering dunes, pristine beaches and scenic forests. Hike the Dune Climb trail for panoramic views from the top or walk along beaches to see windswept dune formations. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive also provides stunning overlooks.

3. Bike Chicago’s Lakefront Trail

For an exhilarating and beautiful ride, pedal along the 18 mile paved Lakefront Trail in downtown Chicago. Travel through scenic parks, pass Navy Pier and beaches, and view the Chicago skyline while hugging Lake Michigan’s shores. Bike rentals available in multiple locations.

4. Kayak the Sea Caves in Door County

Paddling sea kayaks to the sea caves along Door County’s rugged coast is an incredible Lake Michigan experience . Glide your kayak through the archways and tunnels formed by crashing waves in these unique geological formations. Guided kayak tours available in towns like Baileys Harbor.

5. Tour Historic Lighthouses

Michigan houses over 120 historic lighthouses on its expansive Great Lakes shoreline, many still standing proudly on Lake Michigan. Climb to the top for views, tour the grounds, or just photograph their charming facades. Don’t miss favorites like Grand Haven Light, White River Light, Big Sable Point Light and more!

6. Camp Beside the Lake at Indiana Dunes State Park

Indiana Dunes State Park offers great camping a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan in Chesterton, Indiana. The family campground has 200+ sites, many lake view. Hike to beaches, climb wooded dunes, and at night drift off to the sound of waves lapping the shoreline. Excellent campground facilities too.

7. Visit Milwaukee Art Museum’s “Wings”

Visually striking from the lakefront, the Milwaukee Art Museum’s iconically designed “wings” feature a 217 foot sunscreen that opens and closes twice daily. Inside, admire stellar collections of paintings, sculptures, and folk art. Don’t miss lake views from the museum’s rooftop lounge either.

8. Charter Fishing on Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan offers world-class fishing for salmon and trout. Book a charter trip with an experienced fishing guide and try your hand at catching species like Chinook salmon, steelhead, coho, lake trout and more. It’s a thrill reeling in a 20 pound “king” salmon on the massive lake!

9. Tour Historic Coast Guard Stations

Dotting Lake Michigan are iconic U.S. Coast Guard stations standing watch over the shoreline. Tour stations like the Grand Haven Coast Guard building with maritime artifacts, Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station accessible by hiking, and more to learn about lake rescue history. Active stations like Muskegon conduct open houses too.

10. Watch the Sunset at Holland State Park

Holland State Park features an expansive Lake Michigan beach, considered one of the prettiest in the state. Arrive a few hours before dusk, take a tranquil stroll along the lakeshore as the sun dips towards the horizon, then watch as vibrant hues reflect off the glimmering water at sundown. The photo ops are phenomenal.

11. Experience Lake Michigan Beach Towns

Quaint beach towns line the shores of Lake Michigan offering charming downtowns to explore, great eateries, gift shops, and of course access to beautiful beaches and outdoor recreation. Enjoy destinations like South Haven, Saugatuck, Grand Haven, St. Joseph, Ludington and Manistee in Michigan or Kenosha, Racine and Sheboygan in Wisconsin.

12. See the Manitou Islands in Michigan

Accessible only by ferry from Leland, the Manitou Islands offer remote wilderness perfect for hiking, camping, and enjoying unspoiled Lake Michigan nature and views. South Manitou has historic lighthouses and forests while North Manitou is undeveloped wilderness accessible by permit. Day trips or overnight island exploration available.

13. Bike Chicago’s Lakefront Neighborhoods

Beyond Chicago’s downtown lakefront trail, the city’s North Side also offers stellar biking along Lake Michigan through neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Edgewater and Rogers Park. Ride residential streets to access parks, beaches, historical sites and unique attractions away from the skyline hustle and bustle.

14. Experience Warren Dunes State Park

Warren Dunes State Park in Bridgman, Michigan spans over 3 miles of golden Lake Michigan shoreline and massive dunes that tower 240 feet. Hike the winding dune trails, have a picnic atop a dune, or swim and sunbathe along warm sands on the beach. Campground available too.

15. Cycle Around Milwaukee By Bike

Milwaukee provides miles of scenic urban biking alongside Lake Michigan and the downtown Riverwalk. Cruise by lakefront Bradford Beach, explore brewery-filled neighborhoods, and indulge in the city’s famous custard and beer. Bike rentals are available from companies like Coast in a Crate.

16. Experience Ice Fishing in Winter

When Lake Michigan freezes over in winter, anglers head out to ice fish for delicious yellow perch, whitefish, brown trout, and other species. Rent an ice shanty or bundle up to drop lines down ice holes. Locals also create hockey rinks on frozen harbors and bays for casual pickup games with lake views.

17. See the Little Sable Point Lighthouse

On a beautiful stretch of shoreline north of Silver Lake, Little Sable Point Lighthouse stands 56 feet tall, decorated with an intricate brick and terra cotta exterior. Tour the interior museum to see the lens and living quarters. Or walk the beach to photograph this picturesque light against Lake Michigan’s waves and dunes.

18. Experience Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Extending over 1,000 miles across four states, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour Scenic Byway allows you to road trip around the entire Lake Michigan coastline. Drive through beach towns, coastal forests, harbor communities and major cities while enjoying fabulous lake views along the well-marked circular route.

19. Photograph Historic Michigan City Lighthouse

Standing at the entrance to Michigan City’s harbor since 1837, the iconic Michigan City Lighthouse can be photographed from the beach or by walking out to the lighthouse breakwater that extends into Lake Michigan. Generations of maritime history unfold at this still operational light protecting ships entering the harbor.

20. Experience Navy Pier in Chicago

Spanning over 3,300 feet into Lake Michigan, Chicago’s Navy Pier offers endless entertainment options including rides, restaurants, gardens, concert pavilions and more. Attend a music festival or event, dine overlooking the lake, ride the 196 foot Ferris wheel, or watch an evening fireworks show at the iconic pier.

Farewell, for Now: The Allure of Lake Michigan Endures

As the sun dips below the horizon, casting a fiery glow on the endless expanse of Lake Michigan, your lakeside adventure draws to a close. But don’t be mistaken, this isn’t goodbye; it’s a “see you soon.” The magic of Lake Michigan lingers, woven into the memories you’ve made, the laughter you’ve shared, and the sense of rejuvenation you now carry.

This article has unveiled just a glimpse of the Things To Do on Lake Michigan , a mere drop in the vast ocean of possibilities. From serene beaches to vibrant cities, historical gems to heart-pounding adventures, the lake caters to every taste and desire.

So, as you depart, remember that Lake Michigan’s allure is ever-present. The call of the waves, the whisper of the wind, and the promise of new experiences beckon you to return. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a month-long exploration, the lake awaits with open arms, ready to write new chapters in your adventure book.

So, pack your bags once more, dear traveler, and embark on your next lakeside exploration. The magic of Lake Michigan awaits, promising experiences that will forever be etched in your memory.

Don’t forget to share your Things To Do on Lake Michigan discoveries with others! Inspire your friends and family to create their own unforgettable memories on this freshwater treasure. After all, the joy of exploration is multiplied when shared. Visit Let’s Save Michigan for more interesting information about the beautiful state of Michigan

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Lake Michigan Circle Tour Camping Itinerary

By: Author Diana Hansen

Posted on Last updated: January 21, 2024

Categories Camping Destinations

Camping Destinations » Lake Michigan Circle Tour Camping Itinerary

Enjoy a vacation around America’s third coast with this Circle Lake Michigan Camping Trip itinerary. Short, medium, and long itineraries are included to match your availability. There is a reason why the Great Lakes are termed as great. These huge lakes offer beautiful views and boundless recreation opportunities.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour Map

Lake Michigan offers an expansive coastline that touches Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.  There are camping opportunities in each one of these states.

Circle Lake Michigan Camping Tour

We circled Lake Michigan counterclockwise a few years ago, starting and ending in Illinois.  We used that experience and additional trips along this inland sea to assemble this camping itinerary for you.

This camping trip plan starts in Indiana and ends in Illinois. Reverse it or do parts of it as you see fit. We have included suggestions for shortening the trip.

Add UP destinations to your trip with our Upper Peninsula Michigan Camping Guide or our Lake Superior Camping Guide .

Campgrounds Near Lake Michigan

We are starting out the long itinerary, which takes about three weeks. We have included some attractions and opportunities for you to do along the way. If you only have one or two weeks off work, see our recommended Lake Michigan road trip plans at the bottom of the post. Please note: Entry fees or passes are required for most national and state properties we recommend. Save with a Michigan Recreation Passport, or as we call it, our Fun Pass.

Lake Michigan Road Trip Itinerary

Best lake michigan camping indiana, indiana dunes national park or state park.

Indiana Dunes is located at the southern edge of Lake Michigan. This large area comprises both the Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park , which means two choices for camping. The state park campground has direct access to the beach.

The national park has 66 reservable campsites spread over two loops. All sites are non-electric, and only 53 allow RVs. Reservations can be made six months in advance.

Indiana Dunes National Park spreads across 15 miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline. It has beach access, hiking trails, and biodiverse habitat. Birders delight in seeing Sandhill Cranes and many other birds.

The state park at Indiana Dunes has 147 reservable campsites, 134 of which are electric. The state park also has a six-month reservation window.

Indiana Dunes State Park has 16 miles of hiking trails, a nature center, and a beach with a lot of parking.

The beaches at each park are popular in the summer, so the parking lots fill quickly. Early morning arrival is recommended. Enjoy views of the Chicago Skyline from the beach.

Indiana Dunes State Park 1600 N 25 E, Chesterton, IN 46304

Michigan Campgrounds Along the Lake in the Lower Peninsula

The eastern side of Lake Michigan is a popular vacation destination due to its beauty and population proximity. Make sure to jump on the six-month reservation window to secure a camping spot, particularly on weekends.

Warren Dunes State Park

Warren Dunes is a popular state park because of its sandy beach and proximity to Chicago. There are 219 campsites spread over two camping areas: Mount Randall and Hildebrandt. Mount Randall has electrical hook-ups, modern bathhouses, and a gift shop that sells souvenirs and camping essentials. Hildebrandt only has non-electric tent sites. The beach area is huge, with four large parking lots. The buildings, which include bathrooms, a gift shop, and numerous food opportunities, are open during the summer.

Take a long walk along the beach or enjoy a game of volleyball. Opposite the beach is a large dune to climb.

We were not fans of Warren Dunes when we first visited because I had bruised ribs, and it was raining. Two weeks later, we stopped by on our way back to Illinois after circling the mitten of Michigan. It was sunny and felt magical. We fell in love and have returned since.

Warren Dunes State Park 12032 Red Arrow Hwy, Sawyer, MI 49125

Stops Along Lake Michigan

Thirty minutes North of Warren Dunes is the Saint Joseph lighthouse. Walk along the breakwater and take a lighthouse tour. There is (paid) parking in the Tiscornia Park lot. We could park there in our small motorhome on a mid-week visit.

Stop at Saugatuck State Park and enjoy a hike up and over the dunes to the beautiful beach overlook.

Holland State Park

Holland was one of our favorite stops on our trip. We liked it so much that we are returning this summer and staying in the exact same camping spot. Holland State Park offers two campgrounds: Beach and Lake Macatawa. The beachside campground is a parking lot with spots very close together. Perfect for beach bums! The Lake Macatawa campground is wooded, with more space between sites. We stayed in spot 108 of the lakeside campground and have that spot reserved again in June.

Kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards can be rented across the street from the Lake Macatawa campground. A nearby general store is popular for ice cream. Explore the area on foot or by bicycle. We rode our bikes to the beachside of the state park and watched the sunset each night. There is so much to do in and around Holland, which is about 6 miles away.

Holland State Park 2215 Ottawa Beach Rd, Holland, MI 49424

Alternate Campgrounds: Hoffmaster State Park (where we served as Campground Hosts in 2023) or Muskegon State Park

Ludington State Park

Ludington, located in Central Michigan, is known as one of the best campgrounds on Lake Michigan. There are 373 campsites over four campgrounds. Pines, Cedar, and Beechwood are modern, with many of the sites close together. Jackpine is a primitive hike-in tent-only campground. There is so much to do in this park: visit Big Sable Lighthouse, go to the beach, float down the river, fish or boat, hike, or enjoy a beautiful Lake Michigan sunset.

The nearby town of Ludington is a fun place to visit. The car ferry, SS Badger, crosses Lake Michigan from Ludington to Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Ludington State Park 8800 M-116, Ludington, MI 49431

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Sleeping Bear Dunes is a large park that is known for its towering dunes. The Dune Climb is up and over, down to Lake Michigan. It is quite an arduous hike all the way down to the lake and back, so we recommend just going to the top to see the expansive views for those who do not want to do the full hike.

The park has two main campgrounds: Platte River and DH Day. Platte River Campground has 179 campsites, of which 96 have electricity. DH Day Campground has rustic, non-electric sites with dirt roads and pads.

Reservations are required from May 1 through October 15 and can be made six months in advance for both campgrounds. Platte River Campground is open year-round.

Numerous hiking trails and overlooks are spread throughout the park. Other activities include kayaking, canoeing, river tubing, going to the beach, viewing dark sky views, taking scenic drives, and exploring Glen Harbor and Glen Arbor.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 9922 Front St, Empire, MI 49630

Drive the popular M-22 north out of the park and around the peninsula to Traverse City, which is a fun place to stop and explore.

Petoskey State Park

We love the charming town of Petoskey. There are great restaurants and shopping. The waterfront area is beautiful!

Petoskey State Park is located on the eastern edge of Little Traverse Bay. There are 178 modern campsites spread over two loops adjacent to the beach.

If you cannot get a spot at the state park, consider the municipal campground at Magnus Park. We have been to both.

The most popular activity is looking for Petoskey stones at the water’s edge. Take a ferry or drive around to see the quaint town of Harbor Springs, which is located across the bay.

Petoskey State Park 2475 M-119, Petoskey, MI 49770

Lake Michigan UP Camping

Cross the Mackinac Bridge to enter the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Here is where we suggest a slight deviation from Lake Michigan so that you can visit Mackinac Island. If you do not want to cross our bridge, check out this Lower Michigan Camping Itinerary .

Straits State Park

Straits State Park is technically located in Lake Huron at the northern base of the Mackinac Bridge and offers amazing views of the Mackinac Bridge. See our Lake Huron Camping Guide .

The modern campground has 270 campsites spread out over three areas. Sites closer to the water have great views.

Straits State Park 720 Church St, St Ignace, MI 49781

Visit Mackinac Island

The ferry terminal for Mackinaw Island is about a mile from Straits State Park. You may be familiar with this island from the movie Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeves. Its real claim to fame is that it does not allow cars. Horses do a lot of the work that vehicles cannot.

Biking around the island is so much fun. You can bring your bikes on the ferry or rent them when you arrive. We took our bikes and rode clockwise, making many stops along the way to check out many great views. Make sure to check out Arch Rock.

The island also offers shopping, great restaurants and fudge, and beautiful views of the surrounding lake.

As you head out of St. Ignace, stop at Lehto’s for a pasty.

Hog Island Point State Forest Campground

Head west along Highway 2, which parallels the lake, and spend the night at Hog Island Point State Forest Campground.  It is located on the northern side of Lake Michigan, where you can enjoy paddling or hiking.

This primitive campground is right on the shoreline. The 42 sites are first-come, first-serve. Potable water and vault toilets are available.

Hog Island Point State Forest N7590 Hiawatha Trail, Naubinway, MI 49762

Kitch-iti-ipi Spring

While located 9 miles inland from the lake, the Big Spring of Kitch-iti-ipi is a MUST-see!

The beautiful emerald-green spring is Michigan’s largest freshwater spring. Float out over the spring on the floating platform operated by a pull cable. View the bottom of this crystal clear spring through the open windows of the platform.

Fayette Historic State Park

Fayette is located on a peninsula on Lake Michigan. Check out the historic town with a guided or self-guided tour.

The modern campground has 61 electric sites. Hiking to the edge of the limestone cliffs affords amazing views of Lake Michigan.

Fayette Historic State Park 4785 II Rd, Garden, MI 49835

Wells State Park

JW Wells State Park is located on the western side of Lake Michigan in Green Bay. The modern campground has 153 campsites.

Three miles of sandy beach and the old buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps make for an interesting stay.

Wells State Park 7670 M-35, Stephenson, MI 49887

Camping on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has fewer campgrounds along the lake, but that does not make them any less desirable to visit.

Peninsula State Park

A visit to Door County is a must; the best camp place is Peninsula State Park. You could easily stay a week on the peninsula, but for this Lake Michigan Circle Tour, we recommend 2-3 nights.

There are 468 campsites spread out over five campgrounds at this massive state park. South Nicolet is popular due to its proximity to the beach, gift shop, and boat rentals. We prefer the centrally located Tennison Bay, which provides easy access to both sides of the peninsula.

Park activities include biking, hiking, fishing, boating, and watching the sunset over the lake. There is much to do in the many towns dotted along the peninsula.

Peninsula State Park 9462 Shore Rd, Fish Creek, WI 54212

Make sure to head over to the east side of the peninsula to Cave Point County Park and see the cliff jumping. Even if you do not jump yourself, it is fun to watch others jump. We enjoyed jumping in, although the water was chilly in early August.

Kohler-Andrae or Harrington Beach State Park

Just south of Sheboygan are two state parks that offer great camping. To the north is Kohler-Andrae State Park, which offers 137 campsites, 52 having electrical hookups. Harrington has 69 campsites, of which 31 have electricity.

Kohler-Andrae has dunes and a nature preserve. Harrington has swamps, wetlands, and an observatory. Both have dwindling beaches due to the rising Lake Michigan waters.

Camping Along the Lake in Illinois

Our final stop is in Illinois, which has just one state park on Lake Michigan.

Illinois Beach State Park

Most of the Michigan lakeshore in Illinois is industrial or municipal, but there is a little tucked-away haven called Illinois Beach State Park. This park is divided into north and south sections.

The modern campground, which has 241 campsites, is located in the south part of the state park. The Illinois camping reservation window is six months, but the waterside spots are non-reservable.

Illinois Beach State Park is a great place to enjoy nature, swim, bike, hike, and fish.

Illinois Beach State Park 1 Lake Front Dr, Zion, IL 60099

Shortened Lake Michigan Itinerary

Is your time to camp along Lake Michigan limited? Only have a week off work, giving you 7-9 days to travel? We have a few alternatives for you.

Quick Circle Tour Lake Michigan

Trying to figure out what to cut out of this trip plan is hard. It is kind of like picking your favorite child. No, seriously, there are many great things to see and do around the lake.

We will divide this into a few focuses: civilization and getting away from it all.

Suppose you like attractions, gift shops, and ice cream mixed in with your camping adventure. In that case, we recommend you hit the following from our itinerary: Holland, Petoskey, Straits with Mackinac Island, Kitch-iti-kipi, and Peninsula State Park.

If you like nature, views, and outdoor activities, then make sure you get to Ludington, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Kitch-iti-kipi. While the area around the ferry terminal is busy, you can still escape the crowds on Mackinac Island by biking or hiking.

Ferry Across Lake Michigan

There is also the option of not going all the way around the lake and camping in the UP . Then, take the ferry across Lake Michigan. Hit the first few stops, then after camping at Ludington, head into town and hop on the SS Badger, which takes you across to Wisconsin. Then, resume the itinerary at Harrington Beach or Kohler-Andrae.

It is hard to get everything in on one trip. We excluded a few things from this itinerary and have gone back and visited both sides of the lake. You can also just camp along the Great Lakes in Michigan .

Have a wonderful trip!

More Nearby Camping

• Shabbona State Park , Illinois
• Wyalusing State Park , Wisconsin
• Decorah Camping , Iowa
• Turkey Run State Park , Indiana
• Fisherman’s Corner Campground , Illinois

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Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island

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Uniquely Tauck

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private live Motown band performance during dinner in Dearborn

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

Two nights in Tower Rooms at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, set on 900 scenic acres

Wine-pairing dinner at Chateau Chantal winery on the Old Mission Peninsula

Private horse-drawn carriage tour of Mackinac Island

A private presentation by a local historian during a two-night stay at the legendary Grand Hotel

Ford Rouge Factory Tour of state-of-the-art production facilities

Private tall ship sailing aboard the Manitou on Grand Traverse Bay

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Guests should be able to easily walk one to two miles, which may include climbing one or two flights of stairs and walking over uneven pavement, groomed hiking trails or cobblestones. Standing up to one hour or more may be required.

Moderately paced, and may include some early morning hotel departures, one or two on-tour flights, and extended motor coach travel.

Legendary Journeys and Adventures

Get set for a tour through the lush Michigan countryside and along panoramic beaches with sand dunes stretching along the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan.

Wine-pairing dinner at chateau chantal, private dinner and wine pairing at chateau chantal winery.

Located on a 65-acre estate on Michigan's Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse Bay – one of the most scenic areas of the Great Lakes – Chateau Chantal is a French-style winery, Bed & Breakfast and vineyard estate opened in 1993 by the Begin family… Robert, Nadine and daughter Marie-Chantal. A unique destination combining vineyards, winery and B&B complete with winding roads, fresh air, friendly hospitality and kind company, Chateau Chantal produces Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and other varietals. The Chateau is the genteel setting for a winery tour and wine-pairing dinner for Tauck guests only.

The Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Take the ford rouge factory tour... and ride a vintage model t.

Opened by the Ford Motor Company a century ago, the Rouge Plant in Dearborn was the realization of Henry Ford's vision of an ideal automotive complex where every aspect of production could be processed, manufactured and assembled in one place. Its first products in 1918 were anti-submarine boats for World War I; by the time it began producing Model A's in the late 1920s, it was the largest integrated factory in the world. Everything from tractors to jeeps, tank engines, amphibious vehicles, and iconic cars like the Thunderbird and Mustang rolled off the Rouge assembly lines until 2004, when the complex was transformed into the model of 21st-century sustainable design you'll visit today – building F-150 trucks and celebrating Ford's past and future.

Grand Hotel – With Water View Room Upgrade

Nights 3 and 4

Back somewhere in time at the Grand Hotel...

You may recognize the great wrap-around porch and lobby of the Grand Hotel from the movie, "Somewhere in Time," when a dashing Christopher Reeve travels back in time to declare his love for the lady in a photograph, played by Jane Seymour. The 1980s film may have wrapped long ago, but the romance remains in the Mackinac Island landmark. You'll go back in time too during your two-night stay here, learning more about its history (and its famous porch, the longest in the world) from an expert who knows it well... you may also upgrade to a water view room for your stay at the Grand Hotel (ask for details at booking).

When I told my friends I was going to Michigan, they said 'Why?' Well now I can tell them exactly how amazing Michigan is!

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Grand traverse resort & spa.

Traverse City, Michigan

Grand Hotel

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Bay City – Riverfront

Bay City, Michigan

The Henry, Autograph Collection

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Upgrade to a Water View Room on Mackinac Island:

Double   –  $500;  Single –  $1000;  Triple –  $375

A Tauck Exclusive upgrade option to a limited number of water view rooms at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (nights 3 and 4) is available at additional cost per person; ask at booking for details.

About Booking This Tour

Travel Documents

Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island begins and ends in the U.S.

Real ID Act - Effective May 7, 2025

Beginning in May 2025, some state IDs will no longer permit you to board a domestic flight. Currently, some states are compliant, some have received extensions, and some are not compliant.  Click here  to see the status of your state. If your state license is not compliant, you can use a passport in lieu of a valid state ID. 

Please Note:  The federal government has extended the deadline to May 7, 2025 for domestic airline passengers to secure a Real ID driver's license for use as identification at the airport. Travelers without a verified license or ID card will also have the option of showing other identity documents, such as a passport or military ID to board a plane.

If you are traveling by air to join and/or depart from this tour within the U.S., please read the section entitled Airline Security Measures under Additional Information to determine what travel documentation is required.

If you are frequent traveler to the U.S. from Canada, you may benefit from the NEXUS program, which is a joint initiative between the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency that allows pre-screened and approved travelers faster processing at designated highway lanes in high-volume border crossing locations, at a NEXUS kiosk at several airports, and at certain marine reporting locations in the Great Lakes and Seattle regions.

For further information, you may log on to the Nexus Internet website by clicking here .

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally,   you should contact an embassy or consulate of the U.S. to determine what travel documentation is necessary. You may also log on to the U.S. State Department's Internet site by clicking  here.

We strongly recommend that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. We also recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents or cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

How to Book a Tour

See your travel advisor, or call Tauck at 800-468-2825 to make a reservation.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready for all members of your party:

• Tour Name and Departure Date
• Traveler's Name: First and last names as they appear on your passport or driver's license
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Email Address*
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)*
• Emergency Contact Information: Please provide the name and phone number  of a relative or friend (not travelling with you) whom we could contact during the tour in the unlikely event of an emergency
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection plan (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares

* Required Fields

Deposit & Final Payment

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking.

The deposit amount is $350 per person

Final Payment:

Final Payment is due to Tauck 60 days before departure for lands trips, and 120 days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Travel Protection Plan

Effective for plans purchased as of July 1, 2021:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.

*Extreme Circumstances:  In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation –  If you must cancel your tour due to a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for the amount you paid for your travel arrangements. Since the non-insurance cancellation waiver takes care of the land package cancellation fees already, this benefit reimburses the airfare cancellation charges up to the value of your original airfare purchase.
• Trip Interruption –  If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement for up to $5,000 to catch up to your tour or return home.
• Travel Delay –  Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
• Medical Expense –  Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection –  Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.

Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services –  Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection is: $349  per person

This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 1, 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees outlined below, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit  affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPDOM .

If You Have To Cancel

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees. If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. These fees vary from tour to tour. Therefore, the following fees apply.

Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:

Loss of Guest Protection fee, per person

Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Guest Protection Plan :

60 days or more before departure = $350 per person

59-8 days before departure = $600 per person

7-1 days before departure = $900 per person

Time of cancellation  will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control,  Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Note:  All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Fee Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

Travel Terms and Conditions

Click here  to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

Air Information and Luggage Restrictions

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

VACCINATIONS

If you are a resident of another country traveling to or within the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to the U.S. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here .

There is a moderate amount of walking on this Michigan tour. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion.

Some of the sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. It is important that you have sturdy, comfortable and worn-in walking shoes. On certain days this itinerary requires more mobility; you will need to get on and off of a ferry and horse-drawn carriage, which will require being able to maneuver steps and having careful balance.

All of the hotels on this itinerary have elevators.

PLEASE NOTE:  We regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey! You can view the reading list  here .

Temperatures in this region typically range in the 70s to 80s degree Fahrenheit during the summer and can range from the 40s to 70s degree Fahrenheit during the spring and fall; be prepared for occasional extremes. We suggest that prior to departure you check a newspaper or the weather forecast on the Internet for up-to-date information.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, noaa.gov , by clicking here .

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site .

When packing for travel to Michigan, we suggest you select a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Comfortable, casual clothing is recommended for sightseeing during the day. At the Grand Hotel, evenings are a special occasion. After 6:00 PM, gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie and ladies are required to wear dresses or elegant pantsuits. The Grand Hotel does loan jackets and ties to guests.

Valet laundry service is available at each hotel as well as hair dryers in the room. Most of the hotels have outdoor pools that are available for guests' use. All of the hotels have fitness centers that are available to the guests on a complimentary basis.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your Michigan tour:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• Jacket and tie for men and slacks/dress for women for evening wear
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Reusable zipper lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

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Because life's too short to stay home …, lake michigan with kids, following the sandy shores of this great lake, families find many places to play..

© Beth Gauper

Not many parents would think that a long road trip would be a perfect vacation to take with young children.

But the shore of Lake Michigan is one big sandbox, and on a drive along its shores, you'll hit one big playground after another.

On the east side, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is spectacular, a Disneyland of sand. But the lake also is lined with lighthouses, fudge shops, fur-trade forts and endless beaches.

And at the end — for us, anyway — there was a trip on a cruise ship, because we took the short cut back on the S.S. Badger.

For the full tour, see Circling Lake Michigan and Lake Michigan's greatest hits .

One June, I set out to see Lake Michigan with my daughter Madeleine and my son Peter. We reached the big lake in Green Bay and headed straight for one of Wisconsin's favorite family attractions.

At old-fashioned Bay Beach Amusement Park, we paid 50 cents apiece to ride the Rambler, the Yo-Yo, the Ferris wheel and the train that runs along the bay shore, lined with tall rushes that glowed in the early-evening sun.

Now, the park includes the Zippin Pippin roller coaster, which charges a whole $1.

The beach house with cupola and waving flag, the beehives of blue cotton candy and the 1970s prices were portents of our tour through Michigan's down-home Upper Peninsula, which culturally is much closer to Green Bay than to Lansing or Detroit.

From Green Bay, we headed north to Peshtigo. In 1871, the logging town of 1,700 was consumed by a cyclonic firestorm that approached at 300 mph. Warned only by a mounting roar, townspeople had time only to grab their Bibles and run.

"It's said that the next day, people found so many Bible pages floating in the air, they thought it was the end of the world," said the curator/guide at the Peshtigo Fire Museum.

More than 1,000 people died, a number that still stands as the nation's largest loss of life due to fire. But no one paid much attention because of another fire on the same day: The Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

We crossed into Michigan at Menominee, where we stopped for our first pasty, a beef-and-vegetable miner's lunch that's still found across the blue-collar Upper Peninsula.

Hugging the lakeshore on Michigan 35, we could see the dunes of Door County across Green Bay, and shifting bands of color in the shallow waters offshore: celadon, slate-blue, burgundy.

In Escanaba, we drove past big Ludington Park to the 1868 Sand Point Lighthouse, where a cardboard cutout of Mary Terry stood by the door. Terry, keeper of the light for its first 18 years, lost her life in an 1886 fire whose causes still are being debated.

Muscular Escanaba still ships taconite, which lies in piles around the harbor, but its extra-wide main street and abundance of brownstone storefronts speak of the port's richer days.

In Manistique, we walked along a two-mile boardwalk and out to the 1915 breakwater light. From Manistique, U.S. 2 winds inland to Naubinway, where it rejoins Lake Michigan and winds down to St. Ignace.

From St. Ignace, we got on a ferry and sailed for Mackinac Island . Camera shutters started clicking as we approached the sprawling Grand Hotel on the bluff.

Billowing lilacs lined sidewalks, and baskets of geranium and ivy cascaded from lampposts. As we walked up to the Disneyesque main street, a smiling bride and groom clopped by in a horse-drawn carriage.

"This smells like the State Fair," my son Peter said, sniffing a mixture of caramel corn, suntan lotion and manure.

"We've seen seven fudge shops so far — oh look, eight," Madeleine said. Then she, too, inhaled. "Oh, that's almost cruel — they're blowing the smell out at us."

Mackinac Island is a tourist trap, no question. But on a sunny, breezy day when the lilacs are blooming, it's also astoundingly lovely.

For a while, we sat on a pebble beach and watched the ferries come and go. We walked out to Arch Rock along a path lined with yellow moccasins and pussytoes.

We strolled past frilly Victorian inns and two of its historic churches, both with weddings in progress.

We climbed up to Fort Mackinac, an 18th-century fur-trade depot whose soldiers eventually were put to work taking care of tourists, and had lunch on the terrace of the Tea Room, 150 feet above the harbor.

The next day, we crossed the Straits of Mackinac on the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, suspended 15 stories above the water.

In Mackinaw City , we spent the day watching demonstrations and reenactments at Colonial Michilimackinac, a palisade fort built by the French in 1715 and restored and staffed by interpreters who portray the year 1775, when it was controlled by the British.

From Mackinaw City, we followed the lake down to Harbor Springs, where we drove through the old-money enclave of the Wequetonsing Association, founded in 1880, and into the gleaming downtown of galleries and cafes, ending up on the sugar sand of Zorn Park Beach.

"Everything's perfect," Madeleine noted.

"Everyone's rich," Peter replied.

We'd left the U.P. far behind and entered the orbit of affluent Detroit and Chicago. From Harbor Springs, we drove on to Petoskey, with its Historic Gaslight District and faux-Victorian development just west of town, the Village on Bay Harbor.

In pleasant Charlevoix, which straddles the channel between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, we took a break to eat frozen custard and stroll downtown, and to wade on the Michigan Avenue beach, a tucked-away pocket of sand across from a cement factory.

We negotiated the busy strip through Traverse City , the first of the great Lake Michigan beach towns , and headed straight west for Empire and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore .

There, we took a few days to play in the sand, along a dramatic coastline the Ojibwe likened to a reclining bear, across from two islands that represent her cubs.

We canoed down the Platte River, then got into its warm, crystal-clear water to swim the rest of the way into icy Lake Michigan.

We scrambled up the Dune Climb, an inland Sahara with a panorama of Glen Lake.

We walked along the top of the "450," a dune that descends into the lake from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, and swam from the sandbar that separates warm North Bar Lake from cold Lake Michigan.

One day, we drove up the Leelanau Peninsula, a name invented by Henry Schoolcraft, the Indian agent/scholar who also came up with the name Itasca for the Mississippi headwaters.

Considered the little finger of the lower Michigan "mitten," it's a tourist backwater compared with the Traverse City area but still has its share of fudge shops and boutiques.

In Leland, we wandered through Fishtown, a collection of weathered gray fishing shanties that now house gift and candy shops.

From there, ferries take backcountry campers to North Manitou Island and day-trippers to South Manitou Island, which has an 1871 lighthouse, a grove of giant cedars, the visible wreck of the Francisco Morazan and ranger talks that cover island history.

In Northport, we stopped for root-beer floats and to swim at the municipal beach. At the tip of the peninsula, in Leelanau State Park, we visited the 1858 Grand Traverse Light.

Our favorite spot along the lakeshore was Empire, a former logging village named for a schooner that became icebound there in 1865. You could buy pasties, and it seemed the whole town congregated at the municipal beach, where we watched a spectacular sunset.

For now, this part of Michigan is the province of the middle class. As we drove south, we noticed many small resorts on Crystal Lake and Bear Lake.

In the port of Manistee, we walked through the handsome Victorian downtown, all of it on the National Register of Historic Places.

Then we were in Ludington, and it was time to board the S.S. Badger car ferry, a coal-driven behemoth that's been traversing the lake since 1953.

Less than half the size of a Great Lakes ore boat, it's still massive, and we watched in fascination as the gigantic anchor rattled up on oversized chains and the Badger slipped almost noiselessly out of the Ludington harbor.

At first, we made like cruise-ship passengers, basking on deck chairs in the warm morning sun, but the air grew frigid as we sailed into the middle of the lake, and we fled inside.

There, we joined the lounging masses, watching movies and playing a game of "Who Wants to Be a Badger Billionaire."

Then we saw the candy-striped smokestacks of Manitowoc . Our Lake Michigan tour was over, but we hated to say goodbye.

Trip Tips: Circle Tour of Lake Michigan with kids

Adjust time zone: If you're doing the tour clockwise, you'll have to set your watch ahead about half an hour after crossing the Michigan border at Menominee.

When to go: Mid-June and late August are good times to go; the tourist areas are crowded in July and the first half of August.

Allow at least a week, more if you want to add a tour of Door County or a side trip to Sault Ste. Marie (only an hour from St. Ignace).

Planning a trip: For more, see Circling Lake Michigan , Planning a Circle Tour of Lake Michigan and Lake Michigan's greatest hits .

Ferries: Car ferry times may influence the decision to drive clockwise or counterclockwise: From Ludington, the S.S. Badger car ferry leaves at 9 a.m. (you'll be asked to arrive earlier), and from Manitowoc, it leaves at 2 p.m.

Manitowoc and its neighbor, Two Rivers, are well worth a stop. See Two trails from Two Rivers .

To make a longer tour, start in Milwaukee or Muskegon and take the Lake Express High-Speed Ferry across the lake. Crossings take 2½ hours.

© Torsten Muller

Beaches: The entire lakeshore is lined with great sand beaches. See America's freshwater Riviera .

Green Bay : Bay Beach Amusement Park is open daily from Memorial Day weekend through August, then weekends only through September (get off I-43 at Webster Avenue and follow the signs).

Peshtigo: The Fire Museum is open daily in summer and fall.

Mackinac Island : Ferries leave from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. To give your kids a treat, take them to the island on the pirate ship Good Fortune .

Mackinaw City : This town has lots for kids, including Colonial Michilimackinac , a re-created fur post that offers nonstop reenactments and demonstrations, and the Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park , which has a forest canopy bridge, zip line and climbing wall.

Traverse City : There are a lot of great beaches in and around this town, and a splash pad at Clinch Park, the beach closest to downtown.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore : The visitors center is in Empire; check for daily naturalist programs, which include dune walks, photography excursions and shipwreck-rescue reenactments.

This may be your kids' favorite part of the trip. For more, see Grand Sand .

Ludington : The state park here is one of Michigan's most popular, and there's lots for kids to do: swim, bicycle, tube on the Sable River and visit the Big Sable Point Lighthouse.

For attractions on the lower half of the lake, between Ludington and Manitowoc, see Circling Lake Michigan .

Manitowoc : Don't miss the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and a tour of the U.S.S. Cobia submarine. Families can even stay overnight there on a few dates each summer.

Accommodations: If you can plan ahead — as much as a year — Michigan state parks offer accommodations in cabins and lodges. The price is right, and many are in prime spots on the beach.

For more, see Michigan's great lake cabins .

Just east of Lake Charlevoix in Boyne Falls, Boyne Mountain Resort includes Avalanche Bay indoor water park. The resort and its sister resort, Boyne Highlands near Harbor Springs, both have zip lines.

Traverse City has many large resorts, including Great Wolf Lodge , which includes an indoor water park, and Grand Traverse Resort and Spa on Grand Traverse Bay. The area also has traditional cabin resorts .

At the mouth of the Crystal River on Lake Michigan's Sleeping Bear Bay near Glen Arbor, the Homestead Resort is a large complex of hotels, inns, cottages and condos, plus three restaurants and a deli. There's a spa and schools for golf, fly-fishing and photography.

Between Ludington and Muskegon, Double JJ Resort has horseback-riding and an indoor water park.

In Green Bay, the Tundra Lodge Resort has a small indoor water park.

In Sheboygan , the Victorian-style Blue Harbor Resort also has an indoor water park and is right on Lake Michigan.

Camping: Beautiful state and national parks line Lake Michigan, making camping a good option. For weekends and holidays, try to reserve six months in advance, as soon as the window opens.

Between Mackinaw City and the Indiana border, 18 Michigan state parks line the sandy shores of Lake Michigan, and 15 of them have campgrounds.

There are also campgrounds in four state parks on the U.P., seven in Wisconsin and one apiece in Illinois and Indiana.

For more, see Camping around Lake Michigan .

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World Record

Cal's Alekna sets discus record

⛳️ Colleges of Masters winners

🏒 Denver wins men's hockey title

🏆 Jacksonville St wins bowling title

NCAA.com | April 13, 2024

2024 men's frozen four: bracket, scores, schedule for the college hockey championship.

Denver wins the 2024 DI men's ice hockey national championship with a 2-0 shutout over No. 2 Boston College . Matt Davis made 35 saves in the title game en route to earning most outstanding player.

Click or tap here to view the full tournament field.  

2024 DI men's ice hockey tournament bracket

Here's a look at the complete 2024 DI men's hockey tournament bracket: 

Click or tap here to see the full bracket PDF ➡️  |  Interactive bracket 

2024 DI men's ice hockey tournament schedule

Click the game for final stats/scores.

First round | March 28

• No. 3 Denver 2 , UMass 1 (2OT)
• No. 2 Boston U 6,  RIT 3
• Cornell 3 , Maine 1
• Minnesota 3 , Omaha 2

First round | March 29

• No. 1 Boston College 4, Michigan Tech 1 
• No. 4 Michigan State 5, Western Michigan 4 (OT)
• Quinnipiac 3, Wisconsin 2 (OT) 
• Michigan 4,  North Dakota 3 

Second round | March 30 

• No. 3 Denver 2,  Cornell 1
• No. 2 Boston U 6 , Minnesota 3

Second round | March 31

• No. 1 Boston College 5 , Quinnipiac 4 (OT)
• Michigan 5 , No. 4 Michigan State 2

Men’s Frozen Four semifinals | April 11

• No. 3 Denver 2 , No. 2 Boston U 1 (OT)
• No. 1 Boston College 4, Michigan 0  

Men’s Frozen Four national championship | April 13

• No. 3 Denver 2, No. 1 Boston College 0

DI men's ice hockey championship history

#Participation in the tournament vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

🏒  LATEST MEN'S COLLEGE ICE HOCKEY NEWS   🏒   📊  POLLS: USCHO | USA Today 🔥 STAY UPDATED: Season statistics | Scoreboard | Adam Fantilli wins 2023 Hobey Baker 📰  HISTORY: National titles by year | How Q uinnipiac won in 2023 🎟️  TICKETS: Men's Frozen Four

Pro comparisons for the top 8 NHL prospects at the 2024 Frozen Four

2024 DI men's ice hockey championship selections announced

Hobart wins 2024 NCAA DIII men's ice hockey championship

Latest di hockey news.

• Denver goalie Matt Davis stands on head in 2024 Men’s Frozen Four
• 2024 Men's Frozen Four: Bracket, scores, schedule for the college hockey championship
• Denver vs. Boston College: 2024 NCAA Men's Frozen Four championship highlights
• Boston College vs. Michigan: Frozen Four semifinal highlights
• Denver scores OT goal to advance to 2024 Frozen Four finals
• Denver vs. Boston U: Frozen Four semifinal highlights
• Pro comparisons for the top 8 NHL prospects at the Frozen Four
• All 28 goals in the 2024 NCAA men's hockey regional finals
• Boston College scores in OT to advance to the Frozen Four
• Quinnipiac scores in OT to defeat Wisconsin in DI men's hockey first round

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A complete history of the Hobey Baker Award

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13 Beautiful Michigan Towns To Visit On Lake Superior

I f water sports are top of mind when you think of a fantastic summer vacation, Lake Superior and its beautiful Michigan lake towns are a great option. You’ll find plenty of shorelines, uncrowded quaint villages, and various other activities to meet the entire family’s needs. 

The Ojibwe called Lake Superior gitche gumee , “the great sea.” Lake Superior lies directly north of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; it’s the largest of the Great Lakes, with a surface area of 31,700 square miles. That also makes it the largest freshwater lake on the planet. The lake is 160 miles wide and about 350 miles long. That makes the area perfect for water sports like fishing, kayaking, swimming, and — although a bit cold — surfing. 

With the entire population of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at just over 314,000, the towns along Lake Superior’s coastline are relatively small, quaint, and uncrowded even during the summer. Starting from east to west, here are some of the towns you should plan to explore.

1.  Sault Saint Marie

Sault Saint Marie, affectionately referred to as the Soo, lies at the intersection of Lake Superior and Lake Huron, about 50 miles north of the Mackinac Bridge. One of the main attractions is the Soo Locks, an engineering marvel. While they have an observation tower where you can watch the boats pass through the locks, you can experience going through them on a boat tour . In addition to experiencing passage through the locks, the tour provides a narrative history. You’ll also see Sault Saint Marie, Ontario, Canada, from the water during the ride. The Sault Saint Marie International Bridge connects two cities of the same name in two different nations, the United States and Canada.

Open from early May through mid-October, the Tower of History , 210 feet above street level, provides panoramic views of the area and is well worth the journey to the top. Start on the ground floor, exploring the museum, which includes a video. Then, you can climb the 292 stairs to the top of the structure or ride the elevator to the 25-plus-story building. From the observation deck, you can see up to 1,200 square miles, from the Soo Locks and Sugar Island to the Canadian waterfront and the wilderness to the north.

The Museum Ship Valley Camp is a Great Lakes freighter that is more than just a tour of her deck. The ship’s massive cargo holds feature a 20,000-square-foot museum with over 100 exhibits, explaining the role of freighters on the Great Lakes. Aquarium enthusiasts will also enjoy the four 1,200-gallon aquariums featuring fish from the Great Lakes region.

Pro Tip: While the Tower of History has an elevator to the top, you’ll find steps to get inside and a few steps while you’re inside.

2. Paradise

Paradise sits on Whitefish Bay, 11 miles south of Whitefish Point. The hallmark of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is wildlife and waterfalls, and Tahquamenon Falls State Park features both. Tahquamenon Falls offers both Upper and Lower Falls, and the Upper Falls has a drop of almost 50 feet and a width of more than 200 feet. It’s one of the most significant falls east of the Mississippi. The Lower Falls are a string of five lesser waterfalls that cascade around an island. The Lower Falls are not as massive as the Upper Falls, but they are stunning. The water takes on colors that are a cross between copper and root beer, and the foam adds to the root beer feel.

When visiting the falls, don’t rely on your GPS. Maps are a must. The first view of the Lower Falls is 100 yards from the parking lot. To reach the next viewing platform, it’s a 10-minute walk. You’ll want to drive to the Upper Falls from the Lower Falls. For people who use wheelchairs, Tahquamenon’s track chair assists where standard wheelchairs may not work. You can reserve the chair by email, phone, or Facebook Messenger beforehand.

Pro Tip: Be sure to remember insect repellent when visiting Tahquamenon Falls.

3. Whitefish Point

This area on Lake Superior, known as the Shipwreck Coast, contains about 200 shipwrecks. To learn about their tragic stories, visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. The museum is located at Michigan’s Whitefish Point Light Station, about a 1.5-hour drive from the Mackinac Bridge.

The star attraction at Whitefish Point is the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum . The museum focuses on the region’s maritime history. One exciting artifact at the museum is the bell from the S.S. Edmond Fitzgerald , the namesake of the Gordon Lightfoot song “The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald.”

Birdwatching is another popular activity. Whitefish Point acts as a migration corridor for birds and the area has a global Important Bird Area designation with over 340 recorded species of birds. The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is an excellent place for birdwatching and photographing birds in flight. The piping plover is an endangered species and this is a great place to catch a glimpse of them from early to mid-summer.

Pro Tip: The observatory has an owl banding lab where you can meet the researchers and maybe see an owl. They are open Friday and Saturday nights from dusk to midnight during the banding season.

4. Grand Marais

Grand Marais is the eastern entrance to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore . Grand Marais is a quaint harbor town of only 350 people, so the miles of Lake Superior beaches provide an opportunity for solitude and serenity. With some of the darkest skies in the United States, the beach is an excellent place for stargazers to take out their telescopes. Rockhounds will want to head to Agate Beach, directly north of Main Street, to try to uncover those semi-precious agates.

Those who enjoy exploring lighthouses have a pair to photograph in the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights, located on the west pier at the entrance to Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge. These lights are also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pro Tip: While you’re in the area, you shouldn’t miss the stunning Kitchi-ti-kipi , Big Springs, located in Palms Book State Park.

5. Munising

Munising is the western gateway to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore . Located on Lake Superior’s south shore, it was the first of four national shorelines. The National Park Service operates the Pictured Rocks, where you’ll find vivid multi-colored limestone cliffs.

Pictured Rocks National Shoreline sits between Munising and Grand Marais, and you’ll find it to be an outdoor-lover’s heaven.

A Michigan Upper Peninsula food specialty is a pastie, and Muldoon’s Pasties and Gifts is a popular place to try one. The pastie is a hand-held Cornish meat pie made with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and rutabaga, all baked in a pie crust. Sometimes, they’re served on a plate and topped with gravy.

Pro Tip: One of the easiest ways to fully view the Pictured Rocks National Shoreline is through a boat tour, especially if you find hiking difficult. The boat tour is excellent for all activity levels. Pictured Rocks Cruises leave from the Munising City Dock, where the longest tours are two hours and 15 minutes and include Spray Falls, covering 32 miles roundtrip.

To learn more about what you need to know before visiting Pictured Rocks National Shoreline, check out this article: 11 Things To Know Before Exploring Pictured Rocks National Shoreline .

6. Marquette

Marquette is the largest city in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It’s a major port for shipping iron ore and home to Northern Michigan University, where you’ll find the DeVos Art Museum on the University’s campus. With over 1,500 items in its permanent collection, you’ll find art ranging from local and regional artists to Japanese art and artifacts.

Another museum worth a stop is the Marquette Regional History Center . It offers a permanent collection that includes interactive, immersive exhibits highlighting the history between man and the environment. The six hands-on exhibits include touch-screen kiosks featuring information on Lake Superior and the Native American Culture. 

Stay at the Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront on the Lake Superior shore. We enjoyed our breakfast and morning coffee on the deck overlooking Lake Superior. Even on cold mornings, the large windows allow for a beautiful view of the lake.

Pro Tip: In the summer, the Marquette Regional History Center offers 90-minute Historic Marquette Walking Tours, where you’ll meet historic characters in period dress who provide fun historical interpretations of local sites. Digital audio tours are available on their website.

Located about 45 minutes northwest of Marquette, Big Bay is a small town with attractive accommodations. Big Bay Point Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast offers an overnight lighthouse experience. While the Big Bay Lighthouse is an active navigation aid that the U.S. Coast Guard still monitors, you can still stay overnight here in the bed and breakfast.

Van Riper State Park in nearby Champion, Michigan, isn’t on Lake Superior, but rather Lake Michigamme, an inland lake. This state park creates a fun day trip from Big Bay, where you can spend the day picnicking and enjoying the sandy beach. Take a slow drive through the park’s northern area, and you might experience a moose encounter.

Pro Tip: Be aware that Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has two time zones. The Lake Superior coastline is in the Eastern time zone; however, some west near Wisconsin areas are on Central time. When making time-sensitive reservations, check which time zone the venue is following.

On U.S. Route 41 between L’Anse and Baraga, take time to see the giant copper sculpture rising over 60 feet above Keweenaw Bay. Nicknamed the Snowshoe Priest, Frederic Baraga left an upper-class European lifestyle in 1830 to open Catholic missions along the south shore of Lake Superior. The stunning statue pays homage to one of Keweenaw’s most loved pioneers. 

Located east of Pequaming is Second Sand Beach, an ideal location for swimming, picnicking, and other day-use activities.

Pro Tip: Second Sand Beach offers a handicapped porta-potty, an accessible beach walkway, and van-accessible parking.

If you prefer camping to hotels, Baraga State Park , located on Lake Superior’s Keweenaw Bay, makes a good base camp for exploring the western part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The park offers a 0.75-mile nature trail for hiking, kayaking, and ORV-friendly activities.

Pro Tip: Baraga State Park is one of few state parks allowing off-road vehicles between the campground and the nearby ORV trails.

10. Copper Harbor

Located on the northernmost point of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Copper Harbor got its name from its mining history. For stunning views of Lake Superior up to 1,300 feet above sea level, the Brockway Mountain Drive takes you 9 miles along a picturesque drive.

History buffs will enjoy Copper Harbor’s 700-acre Fort Wilkins Historic State Park. The park offers an 1844 U.S. Army Outpost and an 1866 Copper Harbor Lighthouse, one of the first lighthouses on Lake Superior.

Located about 1 mile south of Copper Harbor, spring is the best time to view the 45-foot-tall Manganese Falls. The falls are often non-existent in the summer months.

Pro Tip: Under the right weather conditions, you can view the northern lights from Copper Harbor.

11. Calumet

Located along Route 41, Calumet dates back to 1875 and has a rich mining history. Start your tour of the region by stopping in at the visitor center . The Keweenaw National Historical Park tells the story of the entire Keweenaw Peninsula, with sites throughout the area.

The Calumet Theater began as an opera house in the late 1800s. In the early 1900s, the theater featured Broadway productions. Over the years, as Calument’s economy declined, the theater primarily was for movies. Today, it still has events and musical entertainment. History buffs will enjoy a tour of this stunning theater.

Pro Tip: The Visitor Center is open year-round from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has two floors of interactive exhibits about Calumet and its connection to the mining and copper industries.

12. Houghton

Situated on Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Houghton is the largest city in the Copper Country region. Houghton is a fun town to visit if you’re interested in geology. The A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum includes three mineral collections: the A.E. Seaman Mineral Collection, the University of Michigan’s collection, and the Great Lakes collection. Houghton, one gateway to Isle Royale National Park, but a true hidden gem), provides ferries and seaplanes to transport you to the island.

Pro Tip: During the summer months, May through September is the best time to visit. In winter, the area measures snow in feet rather than inches, and some activities like access to Isle Royale National Park are seasonal.

13. Ontonagon

Michigan’s largest and arguably most beautiful state park is the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park . If you love the great outdoors, you’ll want to spend some time here. We only had a day when we visited, which wasn’t enough to explore the vast area.

For more information on exploring the area, check out How To Spend A Perfect Long Weekend In Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains .

Pro Tip: Be sure to pack snacks or even a picnic lunch, as we found it challenging to find restaurants available when and where we needed them.

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• 7 Incredible Lighthouses To Visit In The Midwest

This article originally appeared on TravelAwaits